The Odyssey of samuraistar
by samuraistar
Summary: The LongAwaited sequel to Neutron Proposal, full summary inside.With Beautiful Gorgeous gone, Jimmy and Cindy are ready to get their wedding plans underway, right? WRONG!
1. Plan and get Kidnapped

AT LAST! I AM NOW ABLE TO UPDATE MY 3-PARTER! YAY! (confetti, Japanese fan-dance)

Anyway, thank y'all for your patience and reviews and such. I am now ready to put up my extremely long second story! Whoooooooooo!

One thing I want to tell you guys: There are going to be a LOT of Oc's in this besides Alex. She won't be joining our heroes this time, I'm afraid, (I'm always scared of letting my Oc's hog too much of the limelight), but she does have an important part in all this. Plus, we get to be introduced to her mom, a (formerly) highly respected doctor, the top in her field. What's wrong with her, you ask? Just read and find out! (Actually, she doesn't come in until the second chapter, so watch for her, 'kay?)

And now, without further to-do...

**The Odyssey of samuraistar**

**Full summary:** With Beautiful Gorgeous gone, Jimmy and Cindy are ready to get their wedding plans underway, right? WRONG! Now the Yolkians have separated them, and this time, it'll take an odyssey of songs and tears across the galaxy for Jimmy and Cindy to stay together. (Loosely based on the original Odyssey of Homer.)

**Chapter 1: Plan and Get Kidnapped**

(By the way, I'm not good with wedding plans, so just move along with it.)

The day of their wedding was in six months. After taking a mental health weekend to recover from Beautiful Gorgeous' execution, Jimmy and Cindy sat together at Jimmy's table in his kitchen with paper and pencils.

_The real me is a southern girl  
__with her Levis on and an open heart_

"Okay," Cindy started, "Libby and I are going to the florist's today to pick out flowers. Er, were there any kind you liked?" Jimmy looked at her for a minute.

"Personally," he said, "I'm fine with any kind _you_ like, but I always associated you with daisies or lilies...if you like those, anyway."

_Wish I could save the world  
__like I was Super Girl_

"Sounds good to me!" she said and jotted down her note, "Tomorrow, Libby, Mom, and I are going dress hunting."

"Good," said Jimmy, "And, uh, there's this catering service my mom used to work for. We'll get a discount if we use them."

"Good idea," she said.

_The real me is to laugh all night  
__lyin' in the grass, just talkin' 'bout love_

"And we're all meeting for lunch, right?" Jimmy asked with a meek smile. Cindy looked back at him and scooted next to him.

"Of course," she said as she kissed him.

_But lately, I've been jaded  
__Life got so complicated_

"All right," he said as he rose and took her hand, "Let's temporarily separate for our duties."

_I'm still thinking about it  
__Almost forgot what it feels like  
__Do you know what it feels like?_

When they got to the sidewalk, Jimmy swept up his girl and kissed her a long and sweet goodbye. When he put her down, she looked surprised.

"Wow," she blushed, "We should separate more often."

"No, we shouldn't," Jimmy smiled and winked as he turned, "See you later!" Cindy sighed as she watched him go. She looked on her left palm at the barely visible icon that appeared when she wore her engagement ring (which is always, even in bed!). Then she turned and ran downtown.

'_Cause with you,  
__I can let my hair down  
__I can say anything crazy  
__I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground  
__With nothing but a T-shirt on,  
__I never felt so beautiful,  
__baby, as I do now,  
__now that I'm with you._

"Hey, girl!" Libby grinned as Cindy met her at the planned checkpoint. On seeing her flushed cheeks and pearly whites, Libby asked, "Let me guess: You've been macking on Jimmy, haven't you?" They walked to the florist.

"No," Cindy objected with a smile, "As a matter of fact, he was macking on me."

"Bleh!" Libby gagged, "Well, at least you did it in _private_ this time."

"Oh..." Cindy rolled her eyes.

_You speak and it's like a song  
__And just like that, all my walls come down  
__It's like a private joke  
__just meant for us to know_

Five minutes later, the two were looking through a flower catalog-type thing with the shop's wedding specialist.

"I like the roses," Cindy mused, "but the tulips might match the lilies better."

_I relate to you naturally  
__Everybody else just fades away_

"_I_ know!" Libby got an idea, "Why don't you put a ring of roses around the tulips and stick the lilies in between the tulips?"

"Impressive," said the specialist, "Couldn't have said it better myself."

_Sometimes it's hard to breathe  
__just knowing you found me_

"I'll do that," said Cindy, "Plus, I'd like a string of cockleshells to hang down the side, and a wreath of daises for my hair. And I want them all white, of course."

_I'm still thinking about it  
__Almost forgot what it feels like  
__Do you know what it feels like?_

"Of course," said the lady, writing it all down, "We'll have them ready when you need them." Cindy gave her address and number and thanked the lady. She and Libby left the shop.

'_Cause with you,  
__I can let my hair down  
__I can say anything crazy  
__I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground  
__With nothing but a T-shirt on,  
__I never felt so beautiful  
__baby, as I do now,  
__now that I'm with you_

After they all had lunch at the Candy Bar, Jimmy and Cindy went for a walk together. Ever since they started dating, they'd been inseparable enough. Now they made it even more of a daily occurrence to spend as much time together as possible. No one could wait for the wedding. Libby was chosen hands-down to be the maid of honor, Alex would lead the bridesmaids (herself, Brittany, and–ironically enough–Betty), little Jamal would bear the rings, they didn't yet have a flower girl, and Carl and Sheen, after a series of heated thumb wars with equal victories, would both be the Best Man...er, Men.

_Come and take me,  
__love, you save me_

"JIMMY!" Alex's excited voice called, "CINDY!" She skidded to a halt next to them.

_Like nobody else  
__Now I can be myself_

"What is it?" they asked.

"I passed my medical exam!" she bubbled, flushed, "_I'm a doctor now!_" (By the way, I don't know anything about becoming a doctor, either.) This was why she hadn't been seen all day, which they knew.

She and Cindy squealed and hugged, then Jimmy gave her a big hug, too.

"I'm so proud of you, Alex!" Jimmy said as they separated, "I knew you could do it!"

"Well, she **is** a genius," Cindy said as she hugged Alex around her arms, "Way to go, Dr. Turner!"

"Doctor Turner," the redhead tried out her new title, "I like the timber of that! Rolls off the tongue, I think. I'll see you two later, okay? I'm heading off to tell my mom. Bye!" Alex's mother, Leah Turner, was a mental patient in the small psychiatric hospital in town. Alex had had her moved to Retroville not long after the Vortexes took her (Alex) into their home. She wanted her mother close to her so she could keep an eye on her and protect her if necessary.

_With you!  
__I can let my hair down  
__I can say anything crazy  
__I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground_

They watched Alex run off.

"Come on," Jimmy said as he wrapped his arm around her, "Let's go." Cindy smiled at him, and they kept walking.

_With nothing but a T-shirt on  
__I never felt so beautiful  
__baby, as I do now,  
__now that I'm with you_

"Hey," she suddenly noticed, "I've never seen those trees like that, have you?" Jimmy looked where she pointed and also noticed the unusual abundance of vegetation on the treetops. After staring at it for about 20 seconds, Jimmy recognized a shape the leaves made. He grabbed her hand.

"Cindy," he said quickly, "**_Run_**."

**Author's Review:**

Don't you love mindless ramblings?

I usually like to get straight to the plot in my fics, hence the quick urgency at the ending. Three cheers for Alex! Hip, hip, hooray!

Keep an eye out for chapter 2, you guys, and please review! Bye!


	2. Four Green Eyes, A Thousand Tears

Thank you all for your reviews. I'm glad to see I've kept you all on edge! Mwahahahaha! Anyway, this chapter introduces Leah Turner, Alex's mom mentioned in the Author's Note in the last chapter. This may attract more "aww, so sad, poor baby" comments from those of you who are Alex fans, but I kinda liked doing this. Or maybe I'm just weird. One more thing: This is gonna be kinda short. Sorry. Now, then: Enjoy chapter 2!

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Theme Quote of the Story: **"I hope there's someone out there who can bring me back to you." -_The Calling,"Wherever You Will Go" **

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Chapter 2: Four Green Eyes, A Thousand Tears**

Cindy whipped her head in his direction.

"_What?"_ she asked.

"RUN! NOW!" he panicked and nearly jerked her arm off as he ran off with her.

"_What's going on?_" she asked, scared and confused. They heard a ray gun power up. In a panic, Jimmy shoved Cindy under a bench the last second before the green light yanked him off his feet.

"CINDY!" his voice cried from his heart.

"JIMMY!" she did the same from under her bench, "DON'T WORRY! I'LL SAVE YOU!"

But it was too late. A spaceship looking like a chicken uncloaked itself from the disguise of leaves and shook the real ones everywhere.

"Yolkians!" Cindy ran through the shower of leaves and desperately tried to reach him as the ship started to take off.

"CINDY!" Jimmy called as she sprinted behind him. She looked in his eyes and held them there.

"I LOVE YOU!" he said after an eternity of that moment. Then the ship took to the sky and Cindy tripped on her face. She lay there, her body convulsing with tears.

'_Why is this happening?'_ she thought, _'Is ever villain out to destroy us, **again**? All we want to do is get married! Is that so much to ask?'_

"_I LOVE YOU!" _Jimmy's last sentence echoed in her head, which she slowly lifted up.

"Jimmy loves me," she said out loud to nobody, "That's why he's marrying me. He's risked everything for me before." She staggered to her feet and said, "Now it's my turn again." She got out her cell phone and dialed Libby.

"Libs," she said, "Meet me at the lab...yes, Jimmy's lab. It's urgent...The Yolkians came and ambushed us! They took Jimmy! Get the boys, too; I'll call Alex."

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"I passed my doctor's exam today, Mother," Alex said as she sat up straight in her chair, "That means I'm a doctor now!" 

Leah Turner was in a simple white dress, kneeling on a quaint bed (black iron rails), rocking back and forth cradling a baby doll in a blanket. She was positioned with the bed head on her right, facing Alex in her chair. But Leah wasn't looking at her daughter; her dark-gray marble eyes were locked on the doll. Her black hair was taking on a gray hue now.

"You can be anything you want to be when you grow up, baby girl," Leah crooned to her doll as if it were Alex, "Anything at all. No matter what it is, you'll be the best, because the doctors said my child was a genius."

"I **am** what I want to be, Mom," Alex said, "I'm a pediatric surgeon now, and a cardiologist! I always knew I could do it, and I have! I know you're proud of me, too."

"It's time to say our prayers now, sweetie," said her mother, oblivious to what her real child had just said, "We're going to ask Heavenly Father to bring Daddy back safely from space now." Alex's eyes started to lose their shine.

"Yes," she said dimly, "Daddy would be proud, too...But he's not here anymore, Mommy. You know that." Leah stopped rocking for a minute, then resumed whispering her prayers as though she'd never heard her.

"It'll be okay, sweetie," she whispered, "Daddy's just a little off course. A slight problem; he'll be back in time for your big 1-0."

Bowling For Soup's "Come Back to Texas" suddenly played from Alex's pocket; it was her cell phone. Glad to be distracted from a painful memory, Alex quickly stood and turned her back to her mother, taking out her silver flip phone.

"Turner," she answered her phone, "Cindy? What's wrong?...(Her face turned grim.) I'm on my way." She put her phone back and turned back to Leah, who was now looking up at her.

"I'm so sorry, Mom," she kissed her on the cheek, "I've got to go. My friends need me." Leah held Alex's hands, and Alex looked at her inquisitively.

"What is it, Mom?" she asked.

"Daddy's not dead," Leah stated and smiled, "It might take a long time, even years...(she moved Alex's hair out of her face and touched it)...but he'll be back. I know it." Alex's eyes widened.

"Mom?" she softly asked, amazed, "Do you know me? Do you know who I am?" Leah stared at her, then her eyes glazed back over to their oblivion of reality. Alex couldn't recapture the moment; it was gone. Alex sighed.

"Bye, Mom," she said sadly, "I'll be back again." She slowly walked out of the room and stood for a moment in the hall. Then she burst into tears and ran out to her red motorcycle. Right now, her friends needed her.

**Surprise Chapter Epilogue that I just now came up with:** Leah stood and walked to the window, her eyes no longer glazed.

"I'm so sorry, baby," she said, watching her daughter speed off, "but as long as everyone _thinks_ I'm crazy for saying your father will return, what can I do? **I** didn't ask for this." She looked sadly at her doll.

"I just told the truth."

**Author's Review:**

Not much to review for this chapter. The theme quote above is not the only quote I'll be putting up. There will be many more to follow. Some will be song lyrics, some philosophies, some from Strong Bad E-mail! Boo-yah! Or cartoons and junk like that. Yeah...review, please, and let me know what you think of Leah!

Speaking of whom: In case any of y'all are confused about her, she's not really crazy. She's just been saying that her husband will come back from space for so long that they committed her. Sad, huh? See you next chapter!


	3. One Must Stay

I'm on a rampage, so we'll just move on. By the way, I HAVE NOT SEEN "KING OF MARS." I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT UNLIMITED ENERGY. I'M JUST DOING FAN FICTION.

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"_I will sail my vessel til the river runs dry."_-Garth Brooks, "The River."

* * *

**Chapter Three: One Must Stay**

Libby, Carl, and Sheen were with Goddard in the Neutron's yard in front of Jimmy's clubhouse. Libby saw Cindy and Alex pulling up by the sidewalk and ran to them.

"Cindy!" she grabbed her arms, "What's happening?"

"I told you," Cindy tearfully said, "The Yolkians ambushed me and Jimmy and kidnapped Jimmy! We've gotta chase them and get him back!"

"Uh, duh!" said Libby, "Of _course_ we're gonna follow him, but where do we start?"

"_Why must the good get kidnapped?"_ Sheen lamented on his knees, "_WHY?"_

"Dry up, Sheen," Alex said irritatingly, "This isn't the time for it."

"What's the matter, Alex?" Carl asked.

"Nothing," she said impatiently, "Right now, our top priority is saving Jimmy." Almost randomly, she turned to Cindy and plucked something off her shirt and marched straight to the clubhouse door. Vox approved, and Alex led everyone inside.

"How did you do that?" Cindy asked. Alex held up a hair of Jimmy, and Cindy blushed.

"Hey," Alex said, "At least he left you something. Now, then...What do we do, Cin?"

? Boy, she didn't see _that_ coming!

"Me?" Cindy asked, perplexed, "What are you asking **me** for?"

"For one thing," Alex said, "_You're_ his fiancee, and you're about as smart as he is."

"And didn't he eventually teach you to drive the rocket?" Sheen asked.

"You're his equal, Cindy," Libby finished, "You know how he thinks."

"Well, so do they!" Cindy pointed at Sheen and Carl. (Awkward silence)

"...Like I said," Libby said, "You know how he thinks. They're your shots, Cindy. So start calling. We're at your disposal."

"What do you want us to do, Cindy?" Carl asked. She looked at her friends and smiled.

"First," she stated, "We go up to Mars and collect ourselves some hydroquantum energy for the rocket and anything else we'll be using. We should get enough to last a month, two months tops. Libby, guys, I'll need you with me for Mars. Alex, you and Goddard try and find a track signal on Jimmy. I don't care what it is–anything that'll at least let us know he's _alive_ will be good."

Alex nodded.

"But Cindy," she said, "There's something you should know: The hospital is sending me on a seminar to speak It's important, but I'll call them and see what I can do."

"Thank you," Cindy said, "Anything you can do will be extremely helpful."

_(Five hours later...)_

Cindy, Libby, and the boys returned with the rocket pumped full of energy for a two-month trip.

"Have you got a signal?" Cindy asked Alex. The young doctor turned to her.

"Apparently," she answered, "Jimmy has some kind of homing tracker in his laser watch. I got the signal from it, but he's way too far out of our solar system. It can't tell us his location, BUT"-- she typed on the keyboard, "–I managed to make it work like a hot/cold thing: The closer you get to him, the 'hotter' the signal will get. Now–as far as _finding_ him, I weeded out the ion trail of the spaceship that took him. All you have to do is follow it; it'll get you started. Once it fails you, which it likely will at **some** point, all you'll need is his track signal. And right now, I'm downloading the whole schmere into Goddard's drive so he can guide you."

"Schmere?" Libby echoed.

"That's brilliant!" Cindy praised her, "But what's with the 'you's?"

"Yeah," Carl said, "Aren't you coming with us?"

"I'm sorry, guys," she shook her head, "I can't. I called the hospital while you were gone and argued with them for two hours. It's either I go on the seminar, or I get in big trouble."

"How big?" Cindy wanted to know.

"As big as a pink slip," was her answer, "I speak, or I lose my job."

"Oh, man," Libby said, "I'm sorry, Alex."

"It's okay," Alex waved it off, "I mean, you guys have done stuff like this before, right?"

"Right," said Cindy, "Don't worry, Alex. You've done all you could, and we're thankful for it. And yeah–we've been through things like this before. We'll be fine."

"Good," said Alex, "but to further your safety measures, I put together an emergency kit for you guys in minor and more dire circumstances." She held up a big white plastic case with the red cross on it and opened it, "I call it the Turner Special, or the T-Kit. It has every kind of medicine, pain killer, and medical tool that **I** use for every case I come up against, including the standard disposable gloves, stethoscope, thermometer, defibrillators, blood pressure pump, and colorful band-aids that come in floral prints, stars, tye-dye, and Spongebob Squarepants."

"Wow." Cindy was impressed!

"Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!" said Sheen, "I want a rubber glove balloon!"

"I want a tye-dye band-aid!" Carl said excitedly, but Alex snapped the case shut and held it away from them.

"No, guys!" she reprimanded, "This is for emergencies ONLY! Libby, I'm going to entrust you with it. You're a much better security guard against these two than I am." She gave Libby the kit and turned back to Cindy.

"Well," she asked, "When are you leaving?"

"We need to get some food together," Cindy answered, "After that, we'll leave immediately."

"Here," Alex reached into her doctor coat inside pocket, "Take my hypercube. I've stocked it with enough food to last you _three_ months." Cindy dropped her jaw as she stared at the cube in her own hand.

"You did all this while we were gone?" she asked with surprise.

"Hey," Alex shrugged, "You were gone for five hours, so I thought I'd cover the essential basics and save you the trouble." Cindy grinned and hugged Alex.

"Alex, you're amazing!" she said happily, "You have no idea how helpful this is!"

"Of course I do!" Alex smiled, "I'm a genius, remember?"

"So does this mean we're leaving now?" Carl asked.

"Huzzah!" Sheen pointed at the ceiling, "Yolkians, beware! For now you have awaken the wrath of..._The Ultra-Friends!_"

(Awkward silence, crickets chirping)

"It's better than the N Men, I guess," Libby said quietly.

"Come on, guys!" Cindy took command, "We're fully ready, and we have everything we need. We're going to follow Alex's plan, which Goddard will keep for us; we're gonna chase those rotten eggs down, and we're gonna bring Jimmy back safe! Any questions?"

Carl raised his hand.

"Can I go to the bathroom?"

"Yes," Cindy rolled her eyes, "We'll all have a potty break before we go."

After they all went, they piled into Jimmy's rocket with Cindy (naturally) in the front, Libby behind on her left, Goddard next to Libby, Carl behind her, and Sheen behind Goddard.

"Batteries to power!" Cindy said, "Turbines to speed..." The lab roof opened; the rocket was almost ready to take off, and Alex ran outside with them.

"_Cindy!"_ she shouted. When Cindy looked at her, Alex said, _"Give Jimmy a hug for me! Tell him I'm sorry!"_ (Meaning sorry she couldn't come, too.)

"WILL DO!" Cindy replied over the engines, "BLAST OFF!" Alex covered her ears as the rocket roared and shot off for space. As the wind it left whooshed through her hair and coat, she watched her best friends hurtle through the stratosphere.

"Be safe," she prayed, "Be brave. Be strong. Hold on to the end...as my father did."

**Author's Review:**  
Well...This is shaping up pretty well, I think:D Alex really _is_ a genius! Boo-yah!

Anywayz, um...Yeah. Can't think of anything right now, so...I'll just let y'all review. By the way, does anyone even _read_ these Author Things?

CLIFFHANGER! HA HA HA HA HA !


	4. The Odyssey Begins

Good grief! Sorry for such a long delay; I've been busy with school and junk like that.

I hope you'll all enjoy the next (and first pivotal) chapter! It'll be a little shorter than others, but I promise you'll like it...I hope. (Fanfare, confetti, Chuck Norris roundhouse kicking everyone in sight) Err...right.

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"_The suspense is terrible! I hope it'll last."_-Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

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**Chapter 4: The Odyssey Begins**

The Yolkians' tractor beam landed Jimmy into a glass egg-shaped pod. The egg pod fell downward down what seemed to be a long tube. When that ended, the egg pod came to an abrupt stop and dumped him out the bottom. Screaming, Jimmy landed on his back onto a stone floor. He lay still, petrified and unsure of what to do. A green light snapped on.

"Bind him," a voice barked shortly. Two Yolkian guards seized Jimmy up by his wrists and held him to the stone wall, where two shackles came out of it and covered his hands to the wrists (shaped like eggs); next came his feet to the ankle shackles, also egg-shaped.

"Hello, James," Goobot approached him from the shadows, "Did you enjoy your little stroll with your sweetheart?"

"I **did**," Jimmy spat, "until _you_ snot cases showed up! _What do you want with this time?_"

"Oh, the usual," Goobot said dismissively, "Bring you down to emotional torment, completely destroy your spirit in every way, throw in a little physical torture, and virtually tear you away from everything and everyone you've held dear, that sort of thing. We won't keep you long; I just want to watch you **suffer**. Then we'll probably leave you half-dead in uncharted space somewhere." He snapped his metal fingers and two guards approached Jimmy with laser spears as Goobot laughed like a maniac. Jimmy's heart and mind raced.

Meanwhile in the rocket, Cindy felt a sudden rush of panic. Her heart started pounding, and she thought she heard a scream!

"Cindy, what's wrong?" Libby touched her shoulder.

"I don't know," she said, "but I have a bad feeling Jimmy's in trouble!"

"How do you figure that?" Libby asked.

"I have no idea," Cindy answered, "Maybe that's just part of being engaged." They both smiled. Cindy faced forward and looked down at her left hand. Jimmy's icon was glow-in-the-dark green on both sides. He'd _said_ it showed up better in the dark. She smiled, but then her blood started racing frantically!

'_Oh, gosh!' _she thought, tears forming in her eyes, _'What's happening to him?'_

As a matter of fact, Jimmy was currently being scourged with laser flogs and crying in anguish with every–rhythmic–blow, much to Goobot's amusement. (They were done with the laser spears.) The mucous-textured king loomed over the 18-year-old child and pulled up his head by the hair.

"It hurts, doesn't it, Jimmy?" he whispered viciously, "No different than the way you brought all Yolkus to its knees! _My empire was destroyed!_"

"My concern," Jimmy panted, "wasn't–your empire. My parents...and my friends' parents...were all I cared about." Goobot slapped him.

"If I had legs, I would have kicked you!" he seethed, "Now, Neutron, you will suffer and endure such as no man before you has endured! I will not give you the mercy of death, but mark my words: you will never see your home or loved ones ever again! Captain!" he dropped the weak boy back down, "Take out the garbage!"

"No..." Jimmy was too weak and hurt to fight back as the Yolkians tied his hands and feet and dragged him away.

'_Don't wish yourself dead, Neutron,'_ he told himself,_ 'You have too much to live for.'_

They put him on the dumping trap door. Jimmy closed his moist eyes and whispered _"Cindy..."_ He was dumped, half-dead, onto a comet in an unfamiliar galaxy with Goobot's departing laughter echoing in the dark.

Just before losing consciousness, he could have sworn he'd heard Cindy cry his name in his head. He didn't see the figure of a woman move over him.

**Author's Review:**

Well! How's that? I know this was pretty short, and the Yolkians didn't have much part in this whole mess, but you'll see them later, I promise! ;) Review, please! L8R!


	5. Jimmy Meets Sneris

Whew! Good grief! I can't believe how long I'm taking to update this fic! Anyway, sorry for the delay. Thanks for your reviews, too! (And **pureangel86,** it won't take him that long to get home, but it will be a few weeks at most.) ENJOY AND REVIEW, PLEASE!

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**_Disclaimer:_** I only own the little elf children, Sneris, and the name of Ayne (I'll explain that later), no one or nothing else.

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"_You stole my heart, but I love you anyway."_-Rod Stewart, "Maggie" (or something like that)

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**Chapter 5: Jimmy Meets Sneris**

Jimmy wanted nothing more than to stay asleep and be alone with the pain wracking his heart: He wasn't at home, his enemies were suddenly on a turn-taking onslaught to pulverize his future life and were endangering his friends and fiancee in the process. Cindy was constantly in danger, and she _still_ wanted to marry him. All he wanted right now was her, but the fates had other plans for him.

He slowly awoke with a wet feeling on his head. It was being sponged. He opened his eyes and saw an adorable blue face with dull green eyes, brick red hair, and pointy ears: A strange elf!

"Mistress," the face turned and called behind her with a smile, "He's awake!" The little 5-year-old creature now scampered on her toes to her mistress; the child wore a star-bright, white toga-like dress, the top of which had one strap over her shoulder with a gold star clasp and a short skirt. Her mistress was a humanoid entity who looked just like a regular college-bound Earth girl. She looked about 20 and had black hair halfway down her shoulders. She had black eyes and was wearing glasses. Her clothes were a purple button-up top a girl would wear for a job interview or college, a gray-tinted teal skirt that brushed her ankles, and shoes that looked like blue rain boots with no laces and no velcro straps. She stood 4 feet from the bed Jimmy was on.

"You may go with the others, Taram," the girl said, "Thank you for your service." (Pronounced _tare-_um)

"Thank you for your instructions, mistress," the blue girl curtsied and danced out the door.

"What _was_ she?" was the first thing Jimmy asked, "And who are you, and where am I?" The young woman sat up very straight in a gold chair with red velvet lining. She had a regal, intelligent aura around her.

"That girl who just attended you," she started, "was Taram, my Chief of Medicine. She has been my slave for a long time now, and her cheer brings sunshine to my otherwise dull and lonely home. She is a space elf, born of the stars.

"As for me, my name is Sneris Ongada. I look human, but I am actually from the planet Helios, the 3rd planet in the Phoenician system. But I'll elaborate on that later. The home we are both in is my mansion on Calypso's comet."

"We're on a comet?" Jimmy sat up. This was fascinating! Sneris turned her head and looked at him with a smile.

"You really know less about space than you think, my friend," she said humorously, "and the social order thereof. There are mysteries to this ocean of rocks that only the star prophets themselves know...But now tell me, child: Who are you, and what is your planet, and who were the vagabonds who discarded you so unceremoniously on my comet?"

Jimmy pulled himself into a more comfortable sitting position (which was hard with his leg bandaged).

"My name," he said, "is Jimmy Neutron. I hail from Earth, the third planet of the Milky Way Galaxy. I was dropped here by the Yolkians, or at least what remains of them. They tortured me and left me for dead. I doubt they knew anyone lived here, or they wouldn't have left me here." The mention of his name ensnared Sneris' attention.

"Jimmy Neutron of Earth?" she repeated, "The genius child who defeated Poultra, the man-eater? The boy who ended that treacherous game show, _Intergalactic Showdown_? **That** Jimmy Neutron?"

"Heh-heh," he grinned sheepishly, "Yeah, me and my friends." Blue-colored tears formed in Sneris' eyes as she sprang to her feet and fell to her knees in front of Jimmy. She gripped his knees and cried.

"Praise Ayne you've come!" she wept with blue tears streaking down her cheeks, "I've always wanted to meet you! I have so many questions!"

"Like?" Jimmy inquired, slightly freaked. Sneris dried up.

"For one thing," she stood and composed herself, "Did you ever make up with the blonde girl you were fighting with half the time on _Intergalactic Showdown_?"

"Cindy? Yeah," he said, "Actually, we're engaged." Sneris raised a confused eyebrow.

"Engaged?" she repeated.

"Yeah," he said, "You know, uh...betrothed?"

"WHAT?" Sneris got so excited her glasses came halfway off her face, "THE FIST-WAVER OF THE SUNNED HAIR IS YOUR **PROMISED ONE**?"

"Yes!" Jimmy was freaked, "Why is that such a big deal?"

"Be**_cause_**!" Sneris grinned, still excited, "You and that child were the two most controversial contestants on the show! The fans actually started a running poll on the galanet to see if you two would get together before the end of the series!"

"The 'galanet'?" Jimmy asked.

"Yeah!" Sneris skipped to the wall behind her and pushed a button next to a fireplace-type thing, but was actually an intergalactic diagram. Above it on the wall was a self-portrait of Sneris. It turned around and became a giant-screen PC monitor. The mantle came down and became a keyboard with alien letters.

"Coraham!" she called (_Core_-uh-ham). In a popping sound another small space elf identical to Taram was in the room bowing.

"Please bring our distinguished guest a fine wheelchair with a down cushion for his leg," Sneris politely requested, "Make him as comfortable as he needs."

"Thank you for your instructions, mistress," the servant echoed the reply. She went to Jimmy and read his eyes, then nodded and flew out of the room, shortly returning with a nice silver wheelchair with a footrest. It was perfectly comfortable for him.

"Boy," Jimmy sighed as Coraham left, "That little elf knew what she was doing!" Sneris pushed him gently by her chair in front of her computer.

"Observe!" she piped as she typed in the address, "It started out as an opinion poll; but once the show ended, it turned into a whole fan site for you two! **Everybody** went to town on this page! There's Gossip, clips of just you two from I.S., and even fan stories that people made up about you!"

_Now_Jimmy was truly freaked. They had a _fan_ site?

"But anyway," Sneris made everything back to normal, turned her chair, and faced him, "Now I want to ask you something important..."

**Author's Review:**

Okay, I can see I'm gonna have to explain a few things...

The elf children always saying "Thank you for your instructions" is a homage to the novel "The Giver." Pretty good book, y'all should read it!

The planet Helios, Sneris' home planet, is named after the island of Helios from the original "Odyssey," as well as the country of Phoenicia. (I did say this was loosely based off the story!)

Ayne (pronounced like the word "gain" without the "g") is the goddess of song and music. Spell it backwards, you get _Enya_, the most gorgeous sounding singer in the world, BAR NONE.

Speaking of spelling names backwards, Sneris spelled backwards is "sirens," from the seductively voiced women in the "Odyssey." Don't worry, though: This character is _nothing_ like her backward namesakes.

The name "Coraham" is from "The Book of Mormon Movie." Coraham in the movie is one of the more minor characters. Taram was inspired by the biblical sounding names of that day. :)

I want y'all to pay attention to Taram and Coraham. They're going to be two of the most important characters in this story, especially Coraham, and there are a lot more of them, too.

The whole thing of Sneris asking Jimmy who he was and where he came from is similar to the formal dialogue used in the original "Odyssey," as well.

And...I think that's it. If you have questions, y'all know what to do. See you next chapter!


	6. Showtoons and Meteors: Here Without You

Finally, I'm able to update! Again, I own no songs in this chapter, so we'll just get on with it.

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**_Disclaimer:_** Me no ownie the movie titles, move songs, or "Here Without You," but I do believe it's the theme song of this story, so that's why I'm using it. (Neither do I own Barbie Girl, and thank heavens!)

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"_My Aaron, may he rest in peace, never could give me children. To tell the truth, he hardly tried."_-Yente the Matchmaker, _Fiddler on the Roof

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**Chapter 6: Showtoons and Meteors**

Cindy and the others were still following the ion trail from Goobot's ship, and Jimmy's signal was still beeping. They still couldn't figure out where he was, but at least they knew he was alive, and the rocket was going as fast as it could. By now, they were lightyears far from home. (Science people, I DON'T WANNA HEAR IT. IT'S A FRICKIN' CARTOON.) In the back, Sheen and Carl were singing, _"Do you know, the Muffin Man, the Muffin Man, the Muffin Man? Do you know the Muffin Man who lives on Drury Lane?"_ Libby didn't look too happy.

"Guys, you've been singing that song for half an hour," she sighed, "Pick another song, please."

"How about _you_ pick one, Libby?" Sheen brightly invited, "You've got soul! Ooh! Let's sing our 'special' song!"

Libby blushed.

"Oh please, Sheen!" she begged, "**anything** but that one!"

"It's either that," he said, "or Barbie Girl." (BLEH!)

"All right," she conceded, "I'll start..." (Libby's part is _italic_ and Sheen's is in **bold.**) This is really going to throw you off, like it did Cindy, Carl, and Goddard!

_She climbs a tree and scrapes her knee  
__Her dress has got a tear!_

**She waltzes on the way to Mass  
****and whistles on the stair**

(Libby turned around and faced her boyfriend)

_And underneath her wimper, she has curlers in her hair!_

**I've even heard her singing in the Abbey...**

"Hold it!" a perplexed Cindy cut in, "**This** is your special song? 'How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria' from The Sound of Music?"

Drily, Libby said, "It's a long story."

"Carry on," Cindy rolled her eyes and dismissed them.

After they had sung that, and after Carl had gotten them all to sing "Territory Folks" from _Oklahoma_, (with music provided by Goddard) Cindy called an object ahead of them to their attention.

"Bark, bark!" Goddard said and put his nose to the screen, "Bow!" Cindy looked at it and gasped.

"_Meteor belt!_" she yelled, "Everybody duck and make sure you're buckled in! Goddard, get down!"

None too soon, the giant rocks started buffeting the rocket. They dodged the more dangerous ones, but they needed to get out of there! Cindy nose-dived the rocket to get them out as quickly as possible. There was a bump, and Sheen cried out.

"SHEEN, NO!" Libby screamed, "CINDY, HE'S HURT! WE'VE GOTTA LAND!"

"HANG ON!" Cindy yelled. She maneuvered them out of the belt and found an asteroid to land on. Despite the dents and bumping the rocket had taken, there was no damage and Cindy managed to make a safe landing.

Libby was in tears as she and Carl lifted Sheen out of the vehicle; his right shoulder was bleeding.

Cindy quickly lifted the cushion on Sheen's seat and got out a sleep cot; Jimmy always kept them in the rocket.

Libby and Carl laid Sheen on the cot and Libby got out Alex's T-Kit.

"Thank you, Alex," she mused, "Here, Cindy."

"Thanks," Cindy took the kit and they all knelt by Sheen. Libby held his hand. Cindy gently took his arm out of the head of his shirt, exposing his shoulder.

As she went to work, (and after giving him morphine) Libby talked to Sheen.

"Sheen, why did you do that?" Libby asked in tears, "You could have _died_."

"As Ultra Lord lives," he said, a little tired, "No man nor beast nor floating object shall smite my queen."

"Oh, that's so sweet!" said Libby, "Thank you for saving me, Sheen."

"What happened?" Cindy asked, still working, "I missed something."

"One of the meteors was about to hit Libby in the head," Carl answered, "so Sheen covered her, and it hit him instead."

"That was very noble of you, Sheen," Cindy said as she wiped up the last of his blood, "Thank you. There; you're all set. Carl, what time is it?" He lifted his glasses and looked at his "Emperor's New Groove" watch with Kuzco as a llama for the hands and face (like a Mickey Mouse watch).

"Five past midnight," he stated with a yawn.

"All right," Cindy stood, "We'll camp here til morning. Sheen needs time to heal, and we're all tired anyway."

Cindy, Libby, and Carl got their sleeping cots and pillows from under their rocket seats and got themselves settled in. Libby settled her cot next to Sheen on his left. Cindy put hers by Libby, and Carl set his on Sheen's right. Goddard sat by Cindy, showing Jimmy's track signal on his screen. Despite the worry for her injured friend, (who was rapidly healing due to Alex's expert preparation and Cindy's diligent care) Jimmy was pretty much all she could think of. Where was he? Was he with anyone? Was he being taken care of? Was he hurt? Was he trying to get home? Could he find a way to communicate with her? All these questions bounced around her head as she kept her eyes glued to Goddard's screen. He whined.

"What?" she asked, "What's wrong?" Libby's hand touched her shoulder.

"He's tired," Libby said, "And so are you, Cindy. You need to turn in." But Cindy was too preoccupied at the moment.

"I'm fine," she said shortly, stood, and walked away. Libby started to say something, but decided to let her go.

Like she had on Mars, Cindy went off by herself. She climbed a rock and sat on it. The stars were so clear and beautiful, and looked so close, you could touch them. All that was missing was Jimmy.

_A hundred days have made me older since the last time that I saw your pretty face_

Meanwhile at Sneris' house on Calypso's Comet, Jimmy lay in the guest suite Sneris had prepared for him.(She realized it was late for her important request, and would explain in the morning.) It was beautiful and gilded gold with rich silk and transparent curtains for his queen-size bed, but he had no eyes for his room. He walked to his gigantic window and gazed at the star-strewn sky. His heart was much heavier than his tear-laden eyes. The only thing that could bring him joy now was the girl he loved, his dear betrothed, his Cindy.

_A thousand lives have made me colder,  
__and I don't think I can look at this the same_

On her rock, Cindy lost control of the emotions that she always took such great pains to keep in check. First Beautiful Gorgeous, now the Yolkians! Who next? It was too much for her to think of. She cast her eyes on her left hand and stared at Jimmy's symbol. Then she broke down. She buried her head in her arms and rocked back and forth, weeping bitterly.

_But all the miles that separate_

Jimmy pulled his head away from the window. A puddle of his tears lay at his feet, and his face was almost starting to dry. Finally, he went to the golden basin by his bed and splashed water on his face. He held his head over the basin and thought. (His leg had healed by now, due to the elves' magic.)

'_This Sneris lady seems very hospitable; I just hope she doesn't want to keep me too long. I've got to get home. And for all I know, my friends could be looking for me. (Sigh) I hope they're okay.'_

He reached a point where he felt he could go to sleep and got into bed. Conjuring up every memory of Cindy his big brain held, Jimmy fell asleep praying for his friends' safety, that he'd be with them again soon, and that for now, he'd dream of his beloved every night until they found each other. It was a little hard going to sleep without Goddard, but he finally did. That too left a hole in his heart.

_They disappear when I'm dreaming of your face_

Finally, Cindy dragged herself to camp with heavy feet and a heavier heart. Libby had waited for her; Cindy joined her on the cots.

"You okay?" Libby had to ask, even knowing she wasn't.

"I will be," the torn blonde replied, "when I'm back with him and at home. I won't feel better until he's back with me." Libby held her friend and tried to give her strength.

"I know you won't be, girl," she said, "I know you're hurtin.' That's why I'm here for you all the way. No matter what happens, Cindy, I am your friend. I won't give up until we find Jimmy and we _all_ go home together." Cindy smiled. It lessened the pain–not much, but a little. Finally, the two girls went to sleep.

_I'm here without you, baby,  
__but you're still on my lonely mind.  
__I think about you, baby,  
__and I dream about you all the time._

_I'm here without you, baby,  
__but you're still with me in my dreams.  
__Tonight, it's only you and me._

**Author's Review:**

Another thing I should explain: Calypso's Comet was named after the goddess Calypso who held Odysseus captive on her island. Anyway...

Carl and Sheen singing the Muffin Man song is a homage to VeggieTales! From one of the early episodes...I forgot what it's called, though.

I hope y'all enjoyed that Sound of Music song! It was soooo funny, I thought! If anyone hasn't seen the Sound of Music, YOU SHOULD!

I'm sorry I took so long. Been busy. But one more thing: I'm going to start using Disclaimers from now on, because I'd started a karaoke fic without one, and it got removed, so I'm trying not to get into more trouble, because fan fiction is one of the only things that's keeping me alive right now!

Anyway, about the song...I thought it made a great theme song for the story as well as the chapter. It's one of my favorite songs ever! And I hope you guys enjoyed that sweet Sheen/Libby moment. I kinda liked it myself! Tee-hee!

L8R, Gators!

Cordially Yours,

-samuraistar


	7. Let's Go, Girls

Thank you all for your lovely reviews! Keep 'em coming! Now get ready for a real shocker, for those of you who were starting to like Ms. Sneris over here. Hoo-ha!

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"_Always be prepared to listen to your children...even when they have nothing to say."_-Garry Marshall as Buck Cluck, _Chicken Little

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**Chapter 7: Let's Go, Girls**

At 2 a.m. Earth time, Coraham the little space elf appeared at Jimmy's bedside with a (crack!) and shook him.

"Master Neutron!" she whispered frightfully, "Master Neutron, wake up!" Jimmy shot straight up.

"Obscure Ferret Breeds for 400," he said, still half-conscious. Then he shook his head and saw the elf.

"Oh," he said, "What's the matter...uh...Which one are you again?"

"Coraham, sir," she pointed at the gold band on her left arm that bore her name, "but listen, please! You must come downstairs! My mistress is in trouble!" Sure enough, as Jimmy followed her down the hall, he heard commotion downstairs accompanied by terrified cries that were undoubtedly owned by the other elf servants.

Well, child, you can imagine the shock that Jimmy felt when he ran into the living room to find a creature that looked like Sneris with **six heads** thrashing around the room, turning over furniture, tearing the tapestries, clawing out for the elves, and all six heads screeching and roaring. The elves were grouped, huddled together as close as they could; a few were on the chandelier, but the rest hovered in the ceiling corner, for they could fly, and this creature could not reach them.

"Is that _Sneris_?" Jimmy asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes, sir!" Coraham squeaked, hovering behind his back, "She's having another one of her fits!"

"You mean she's like this all the time?" he asked, "What do you do?"

"We hide on the ceiling until it's over," she answered shyly, "when the other five heads have retreated."

"Quick! Get me up there!" he got an idea. Coraham whistled, and three other elves came and help her carry him up into the chandelier (which, miraculously, was strong enough to hold them all for the sake of the story).

"Taram!" she called to the corner, "Our guest needs us! Come quickly!"

"Please instruct me, sir," Taram said when she came, "What is to be done for my mistress?"

"First," Jimmy took charge, "we need to tie her down with something strong. Who can restrain her?" Four elf girls raised their hands.

"We can, sir," they said, "We tend our mistress' garden with soil that is nearly impossible to till, except with the magic and strength of elves."

"Good," Jimmy nodded, "Now–who are your laundry elves?"

"Marthis is our Head of Linens, Master Neutron," Coraham offered, "She clings to one of the chains above us. Marthis!" she called, "Come down to us! Master Neutron has a plan!" (For the record, all these elf girls look and dress the same, except for their names branded on their golden arm bands.) Marthis slid down to them.

"What will you have me do," she formally asked, "that will help to save my mistress?"

"Marthis," Jimmy memorized her name, "I'll need you to find me five strong bandanas or handkerchiefs and a long sash."

"I go," she curtsied, "Thank you for your instructions." And pop! She was gone.

"Okay," he turned, "You four: See if you can cut the curtain cords from off their rods and bring them to me, please."

"Yes, sir," they chorused. Avoiding the craning necks of Sneris' extra heads, the four girls each flew to the four curtains of the room and chopped them off with their razor-sharp teeth. They quickly coiled the ropes around their arms and retreated to the chandelier just as Marthis reappeared with the bandanas. By now, all the other elves had gathered around in curiosity to see what their strange guest would do and what results his even stranger requests would yield.

"Thank you, Marthis," Jimmy said to her, then to the four, "All right, ladies; here's what we're gonna do..." And he showed them how to tie lassoes with the drape cords and to swing them over their heads like James Stewart or John Wayne.

Of course, not one of them had the slightest conception as to who either of these men were; but elves learn very quickly, and the four soon mastered their ropes.

"And what are we to do with these 'lassoes,' sir?" one of them asked with fascination.

"When I tell you to," he gathered them together, "each of you four will take a small group with you. You're first going to throw your lassoes at Sneris; you two will each take a wrist, and you other two get her ankles. Then you and your teams will pull with all your strength and tie the cords around the pillars in here so she can't move, got it?" They gulped, but nodded. This was almost like open rebellion to them.

"Thank you," he said, "Now, then–you four pick your teams, but leave me five, including you, Coraham. Taram, I'll need you to tell me the best way to calm her down." She jumped in surprise, then looked down in shame.

"I'm sorry, sir," she said to his shoes, "but I don't know. We've always been afraid to go _near_ her in her fits...We've never tried before." The others' dejected expressions confirmed this.

"All right," the genius said, "Then I'll improvise. Okay, ladies! Let's go!"

Taram and Coraham flew him down; he and his team of five each had a bandana, and Jimmy had the sash. Sneris' five savage heads snapped at the elves, but they were too quick, as they had been before.

While they distracted her, the four with the curtain ropes got a good aim on their assigned body part from behind the pillars. The first elf, pretending to be James Stewart, (whoever **he** was, to her thinking) swung the lasso above her head and hurled! It caught Sneris' left wrist, good and snug. The elf's team got behind her and also grabbed the rope. Sneris started to run at them, but was caught on her right ankle by another team. Then the other wrist team ensnared her, followed by the left ankle.

"PULL!" they all said and pulled Sneris' limbs taut, keeping her to the floor. The four main elves quickly tied the cords to the bottom of the pillars.

"NOW!" yelled Jimmy. He and his team of five quickly ran and/or flew to Sneris' six deadly heads. It was difficult with the heads snapping and snarling, but the five elves finally succeeded in tying the bandanas (folded triangularly) around each of the mouths, gagging them. Jimmy then took two of them (the heads) by the hair and clocked them together, successfully shutting them up. He repeated this with two more, and just smacked the last one smartly with his palm. Having subdued them at last, Jimmy tied them together by their necks behind Sneris' main head, which had been purposely left untouched. The "real" Sneris was still struggling, and she was crying with red-colored tears. Jimmy, Coraham, Taram, and all the others stood around her.

"Sneris," Jimmy called, "It's me, Jimmy. I don't know what happened to you, but you're gonna have to calm down, okay?"

Sneris stopped moving, but she was still crying. Her glasses were off, and she looked very disheveled, as one does when one has just had a tantrum. Her tears turned blue, and she looked up at him.

"Jimmy," she sobbed, "I'm sorry you had to see me like this. This was what I wanted to ask you about."

"Do you feel okay enough to be released?" he asked her. Her other heads were now awake, but they only cried like her.

"No!" Sneris cried sharply, causing some of the girls to jump back. The other heads shook themselves "no" and muffled their agreement.

"What you saw before," she despairingly continued, "That was just a warm-up! My hour is approaching when I won't be able to control myself, and I'll be looking to _kill_!" Jimmy started to get scared.

"Why?" he had to know, "Why are you like this? You seem like such a nice person! Are you cursed or something?"

"I wish," Sneris turned her face away (the other heads closed their eyes with shame), "Curses can be lifted. No; this is typical of my species. I've reached my age of what my people call _Rendikrauss_: the Possessed Killing. Every 5 years my age group, every person therein, is sent off to live in exile on comets to protect all from our terrible instinct. Tomorrow night, (her five heads watched her as she spoke) my time-old nature will overtake me, and I will become the horrible creature I've just been, _tenfold!_ I'll kill anything that crawls, that flies, that moves, that breathes, that **lives**! Yes, Jimmy!" she faced him, as did her heads, "I'll even try to kill _you_, my esteemed guest that I've nursed back to health!" Her heads sobbed with her, their cries muffled by their gags. Jimmy's heart sank

"Is there no way I can help you?" he asked heavily, "Is there nothing I can do for you or your servants to protect them?"

"Untie my feet," she asked, "but leave my hands bound. I don't trust myself." Her ankles were freed, and she sat up.

"Jimmy Neutron of Earth," she looked him in the eye, "I have been your hostess, and taken care of you to the best of my ability. According to the universal manners of host and guest, I must ask you this, and you must give your vow that you will oblige me." He knelt by her; her five other heads were pleading with their eyes.

"Whatever I can do to repay you for your kindness," he vowed, "I will do, Sneris." All six heads smiled.

"Thank you, Jimmy," she sighed, "Then hear my request..."

**Author's Review:**

Duh- duh- DUUUUUH! Cliffhanger! Boo-yah!

Umm...Let me think...explanations on anything? Okay: "Obscure Ferret Breeds" was just a random burst of silliness, and a nod to Jeopardy. Oh, yeah; and the title is a homage to Shenia Twain, y'all! It's the first line in "Man! I Feel Like A Woman," and it's a spoken line.

And...I think that's it. Questions and comments may be in your reviews! See ya!


	8. Hopelessly Devoted

Once again, thanks for the reviews! Let's move on, shall we?

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**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own any songs or the original characters, yada yada yada.

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"_Look to the cookie, Elaine. Look to the cookie."-_ Jerry, _Seinfeld

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**Chapter 8: Hopelessly Devoted**

"...kill me."

O.O! Jimmy fell on his face, having leaned forward on his toes. **This** was unexpected!

"Ex_cuse_ me?" he kneeled up and rubbed his head.

"Mistress?" Coraham said.

"Please, Jimmy," Sneris ignored her, "Engage with me in battle and defeat me!"

"Is this another Helion custom?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded, "Every person of my age group waits for someone to fight them. It is our honor to fall in battle and protect others from us. Not many are so lucky, but now _you_ have come! Please, Jimmy! I beg you! Do this for me!" The elves started to cry.

"What about your girls?" Jimmy indicated the elves, "What are they to do?" They looked up at her with tear-streaked faces. Sneris looked at them all with sad affection. Heavens, they're only five years old!

"My friends," she said as they drew nearer, "You have all served me well and given me companionship in my lonely exile. You've all been with me all this time, so you knew this day would come. With the heavy heart of an employer, and the love I have for all of you, I release you into the custody of the boy genius of Earth, Jimmy Neutron, _if_ he will have you."

"What?" Jimmy was confused, "You're giving them to _me_?"

"They like you, Jimmy," Sneris insisted, "and they will gladly serve you as they have served me! Right, girls?" The elves wholeheartedly agreed.

"Please, Master Neutron!" Coraham grabbed his hand like the 5-year-old she was, "We would love to serve you! Will you have us?" He looked at their adorably eager and identical faces with their brick-red hair and dull-green eyes (or rather, like a jungle green) and glittery blue skin (like Mystique on X-Men!). Could he take care of all these 20 sweet creatures? Eh, he'd figure something out.

"I'll take them in, Sneris," he said as he touched Coraham's head, "I'll do what I can for them." As the elves cheered, Sneris thanked him and her five heads shrunk until she was back to normal.

"I think I'm all right now," she said, "If you'll have the girls untie me, we can go back to bed. Our battle will be tomorrow night."

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In the morning, someone knocked on the door.

"Miss Sneris," the greeter elf ran to her, "The suppliers are here!" The elves belonged to Jimmy now, but they would still work in Sneris' house until after the battle.

"Oh, good!" Sneris said, "Please, show them in!"

Jimmy hadn't slept since what happened. He was worried. How was he supposed to fight a woman with **six heads**? How would he take care of the girls? Could he really defeat Sneris?

He walked downstairs to see all sorts of species carrying crates, sacks, and all sorts of supplies.

"Oh, Jimmy!" Sneris approached him, "You're awake! Look! I forgot to tell you: I have suppliers that bring me food, clothes, letters, and cleaning stuff. They don't know about our battle, but a few last meals would be good."

Jimmy watched the suppliers. It was like watching Star Wars. One green alien in armor approached them and handed Sneris a stack of letters. He looked like someone Jimmy knew.

"Excuse me," he pulled the guy aside while Sneris checked her mail, "Are you a Gorlock?"

"Yay, good sir," he answered proudly, "Our message system doth reach to the utmost ends of the universe."

"Can you do express?" Jimmy asked.

"That costs extra," the Gorlock said.

"It usually does," Jimmy said, "Listen, I need to know something: Do you know of a warrior by the name of Chee-AAAA-toh?"

"Why yes, sir," he said with interest, "She be the daughter of one of the emperor's war princes with crew and ship enough to overtake the quadrant. How knowest thou, being an Earth dweller, of her existence?" (I don't know how he knows he's human; just move along.)

"That's not important right now," Jimmy said as he took out a quarter, "I need you to give her something for me." He fine-pointed his laser watch and wrote "April" on the quarter; then he put it in the Gorlock's hand and closed it around the coin.

"It's of vital importance that the lady Chee-AAAA-toh receives this as speedily as possible," Jimmy said, making eye contact, "And tell her this: Her friend of trust, Jimmy Neutron of Earth, is obliged to engage Sneris Ongada of Helios, currently living in exile on Calypso's Comet, in mighty one-on-one combat in fulfillment of a pact. Tell her I need armor, weapons, and a spaceship to take me and mine back to Earth."

"And this round thing?" the Gorlock held up the quarter, "What is she to make of it?"

"She'll recognize it," he smiled, "as a token of our friendship. She'll know it's me." The Gorlock stared at him.

"Wait a minute," he said, "Jimmy Neutron from that game show?"

"Yes, that's me," Jimmy rolled his eyes, "but could you _please_"--

"Oh yes, of course!" the guy said, "Anything for Jimmy Neutron!" He shook his hand vigorously.

"Thank you," Jimmy said, "Now go, quickly!" The Gorlock ran out, and Jimmy sighed; how he prayed that April would answer!

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Meanwhile, rewinding back to the morning, Cindy and the others woke up very chilled.

'_Why is it so cold?'_ Cindy thought with her eyes still closed, _'Even for outer space, this rock is drafty!'_

"Uh, Cindy?" Libby touched her and squeaked, "Now would be a reeallly good time to wake up!" The blonde sat up.

"What the heck!" she gasped, "Where are we?"

They weren't on the asteroid at all! They were in a dungeon of some kind. A green pillar of light came on over each of them, and they floated 2 feet up.

"Hello, children," said Goobot, "Hope you enjoyed your nap, for it shall be your LAST!"

"_Goo_bot!" they gasped, then looked at each other and went off, (simultaneously, btw) "WHAT DID YOU DO WITH JIMMY, YOU KLEENEX GUNK?" Goobot eyed them evilly and simply said, "He's dead."

"NO, HE'S NOT!" Cindy yelled. No one believed him anyway, but the icon trace on Cindy's hand seemed to say, "Heed him not, for he lies."

"You can't bluff with us, egg case!" Libby snapped, "We've got empirical evidence that he's alive, so you can take your stories and blow 'em out your...uh..." (There really wasn't anything to blow out, so she just trailed off.)

"What are you gonna do with us?" Carl whined.

"I...haven't really decided yet," Goobot said, then approached Cindy, "but rest assured: **You'll** never see your big-brained lover again." Then he left with his malice.

Cindy was shaking with rage. It seemed to thicken her pillar. Hot tears escaped her tear ducts.

"You know," Carl said, "this reminds me of a story Alex told us; the one about her ancestor, Karen of Troy, Helen of Troy's sister; she was captured by enemies and sang her way out."

They all knew the story; as Helen of Troy had a face to launch a thousand ships, so her sister–and now Alex–had a voice to draw a thousand tears (only if she sang a sad song). Cindy remembered her favorite part.

"_As darkness is the absence of light,"_ Alex had said, _"so cruelty is the absence of love. The prison that held her had been built with the absence of love, though the enemy didn't know this. But Karen did, so she filled the void of cruelty with love."_ Cindy remembered asking how Karen had done that.

Alex had answered, _"She sang a love song. She thought of the man she loved, and her family and friends; but mostly the man she loved. This love filled her heart, and the chains that had been forged from cruelty fell, for they could not cling to something they didn't understand."_

"That's it!" Cindy calmly said, "Carl, you're a genius!"

"Not that I don't already know that," he said, "but...could you remind me why?"

"Remember what Alex said?" Cindy smiled, "Karen was able to escape because she filled the void of cruelty with love."

"A**ha**!" Sheen pointed, then dropped, "I don't get it."

"Just watch," said Libby as she looked at Cindy; Cindy was bowing her head with her eyes closed. She thought of Jimmy and her at eleven years old and all the times they came close to a confessional of their feelings but quickly started another argument to cover it up. She thought of the island they'd been stranded on together and how much closer they'd become while they were there. She remembered the pearl he'd dug through 137 oysters to find just for her; and she remembered, more recently, the night he'd proposed to her with the sunlight and moonlight dancing in the park fountain.

All these memories and more combined and bubbled forth from her heart in her own personal theme song by Olivia Newton John, "Hopelessly Devoted" from "Grease." Libby smiled. She remembered Cindy singing this to Jimmy on Karaoke at the Candy Bar when they were 13.

Cindy's pillar started to turn brighter, very subtly, as she got to the chorus.

_But now,  
__there's nowhere to hide!  
__You push my love aside  
__Out of my head,  
__hopelessly devoted to you...  
__Hopelessly Devoted to you..._

The pillar vibrated and pulsed with each held-out note, but when the song was over, it shattered, and Cindy landed on her feet with renewed confidence.

"Libby!" she turned to her, "You and the boys sing yourselves out, find the rocket, and storm the ship. I'm going to look for Goddard."

As Libby gathered her loving memories of Sheen and started to sing Debbie Gibson's "Lost In Your Eyes," Cindy took out a bobby pin, picked the prison lock, and snuck out. She wasn't sure what she was gonna do or how, but all she knew was that she had to find Goddard and (if lucky) somehow destroy the ship and all that remained of the Yolkians. But first, it was time to end it with Goobot, once and for all.

**Author's Review:**

I would've put the whole song, but I don't know all the words. Sorry.

Anyway, I hope you all will remember that the whole "that costs extra" line was from the JN episode where Calamitous first appears and kidnaps–er, dognaps–Goddard.

And I would like to tip my hat to **Genius Flyboy **and **badwolf1 **for calling it! It was "kill me!" XD Good call, y'all! Review please, everybody! Till next time!


	9. I Have Confidence in Space Elves

Whoo, I'm feeling good today! Chicken Little is on DVD, baby! Let's move on, shall we?

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**_Disclaimer:_** The usual junk; I don't own the original characters, just the elves, Sneris, and the Gorlock messenger.

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"_The cheerleader's after me!"_-One of the kids from "Yours, Mine, and Ours"

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**Chapter 9: I Have Confidence In Space Elves**

No sooner had Jimmy given the Gorlock his quarter and bade him make haste than the messenger himself scurried to his emergency pod and warp-sped for Gorlock, the war-mongering jungle planet. Because it was a war-loving planet, Gorlock had conquered many planets and made alliances with more powerful ones. Their territory reached across many parsecs of space, but because of April, the Milky Way would forever remain unconquered.

The messenger's pod rattled as he hurtled down the green sky, and it was a job to miss the treetops, but he reached the Royal Stadium, the structure of which resembled the Roman Coliseum(he knew everybody would be at the Gore Games today). It, however, was patterned to look like Gorlockan armor, with two gigantic helmet tusks protruding forward over the main entrance and 4 Olympic-sized giant torches on the top around.

The messenger came to crash-land in the Emergency Crash-Landing Lot that was used for such emergencies as people delivering messages to Gorlock while their armies were abroad. The Gorlock crashed into a multiple-times-used crater, kicked out the hatch with one blow of his war-molded legs, and leapt out, making a break for the Stadium.

"Call me down," he panted to the front desk person, "the herald of Lady Chee-AAA-toh. 'Tis a matter of some urgency." The person nodded and punched in a code on her wrist computer-thingy. Quick as a wink, a jungle-green floating robotic fish was hovering by the messenger.

"Take me to your mistress," he held out his right wrist, "and _hurry_." In reply, the robot fish obediently turned around. A wrist clamp launched from beside its tail fin and clasped the messenger's wrist. Using this leash, the space fish shot off with the Gorlock in tow to find its owner. After twisting up a winding stairway, the fish sped down a hall with seat doorways and flew past them up another steep staircase. They passed the emperor and his family and found the row where April was sitting in the aisle seat. The Gorlock dropped on his face with the stop and the fish-herald withdrew its leash and replaced itself on the side of her belt. The messenger immediately stood, for he was used to this sort of thing. He knelt at April's side.

"Goregon," she said quietly, "What news do you bring me?" He rehearsed the message as Jimmy had told him.

"Milady," he whispered in her ear (or whatever), "I have a most urgent message that must be answered with all speeds and little time: Your friend of trust, Jimmy Neutron of Earth, (now she looked at him wide-eyed) is obliged to engage Sneris Ongada of Helios, currently living in exile on Calypso's Comet, in mighty one-on-one combat in fulfillment of a pact. He requests, armor, weapons, and a spaceship to take him and his to Earth."

"What token have you of this?" April asked with rapt attention. The messenger, Gorgeon, withdrew the quarter Jimmy had sent with him.

"A coin he bade me give you," he placed it in her hand, "I know neither the meaning nor the origin thereof, but he assured me _you_ would." While he said this, April turned over the coin in her hand. When she found the engraving of her name, she smiled. No one but Jimmy _ever_ called her April.

"Thank you, Goregon, for your message," she clasped his hand, "You may go now and enjoy the games." Goregon bowed and left. April's face turned serious; she must take action! She knelt next to her father and laid her chin on his knee.

"O my father, delight of my eyes," she said, "Give me this wish, to take a space fighter and an able crew of 50, that I may answer a personal distress call."

"What do you say?" he said expectantly. April sighed.

"If you don't," she used her Gorlock manners, "I WILL CRUSH YOU!"

"That's my good little girl!" he beamed and patted her head, "Very well." He held up a key. "You may take the ship, _'Moyer, the Destroyer,'_ my most fearsome armada lead. The standard crew for it is also the best, so have no fear. Let me signal them to the _Moyer_." He pushed a button on his wrist.

"I will crush you with my gratitude," said April enthusiastically, "upon my return! Thank you, Father! Oh–I mean...I WILL CRUSH YOU!" She bowed her head and sprinted back up the stairs.

On Calypso's Comet, Jimmy was trying to have what could well be his last meal. The pot roast, potatoes au gratin, and vintage Purple Flurp would have been much more enjoyable if he wasn't in a circumstance of impending doom. Coraham was with him, watching with her elf-eyes full of concern.

"Master Neutron," she remarked, "You look worried." He sighed and closed his eyes.

"Better believe it," he said, rubbing his forehead, "So much is happening all at once, more than you know."

"How so, Master?" she laid her chin and hands on his knee curiously. Jimmy couldn't help but smile at her; she was possibly the most adorable little thing he'd ever met. Jimmy stroked her little head.

"I've got a lot on my mind, Coraham," he confided to her, "I'm getting married soon, I have to fight _and_ kill Sneris, and I don't know how I'm going to take care of all 20 of you." Coraham turned her eyes aside.

"If it helps, Master," she said, "the greater part of our group wishes to be free." Then she added quickly, "But not I, Master; neither Taram, nor Marthis, nor the four who kept our mistress' gardens. We love you, Master Neutron; we will never leave you."

"So let me get this straight," Jimmy leaned back, "You've only known me for 2 days, and you've already pledged your life to me?"

"Of course," she said as if he'd asked her what 2+2 was, "It's this way with all us space elves. We are born to serve, but only the kind-hearted. Mistress Sneris would not have asked you to take us with you had you not a kind heart. We sense good hearts, we elves, and the others and I find deep devotion and loyalty in yours. That's part of our magic." Jimmy chuckled.

"You put me on a pedestal, Coraham," he gave her a lopsided smile, "I'm afraid I wouldn't be kindhearted without my friends and my beautiful fiancee."

"Fiancee..." Coraham was confused at first, but then she remembered, "Oh! Your betrothed one, yes? Oh Master, do tell me what she's like, please?" He couldn't help but laugh.

"You're adorable, you know that?" he said, placing her on the bed next to him and leaning back with his eyes to the ceiling, "Well, Sneris saw the intergalactic game show, so she could've told you what she looks like: Perfect golden hair that always does what she wants it to do and smells like jasmine; sparkling green eyes that are wild and luscious like the Amazon jungle that flare when she gets mad or does karate; skin as pale as the moon, but fire in her golden heart...Intelligence beyond our Earthly years, a temper that even Mary Poppins could never hope to tame...A girl with talents out the wazoo: Singing, dancing, acting, fighting, you name it, she does it...A beautiful angel, and she agreed to marry a trouble-making genius like me." He fell back on the bed.

Obviously, Jimmy had been getting carried away with himself, but Coraham loved every word he was saying and listened with rapt attention (as space elves are _such_ good listeners!).

"You speak with poetry when you speak of your love," she observed, "She truly sounds a treasure. I should find great joy in meeting her! She must be worried about you!" she realized, "Is she even now down on Earth, awaiting your safe return?" (Pfft–AS IF.) He sat up.

"Not Cindy," he chuckled, "She's not one to wait around and fidget. She's a dare-and-doer, and it won't surprise me if I find her and my friends in my rocket..." His face started to fall as he thought of her.

"Man," he whispered to himself, "I love her so much. I've gotta get back to her." He leaned forward and put his forehead in his hands.

'_Again he speaks of his love,'_ the elf thought sympathetically, _'But his poetic words now reflect the grief in his heart._ (She turned around and faced out the window.)_ Wherever could his dear lady be? I wonder, can I comfort him?'_

She pressed her tiny hand over Jimmy's back, on the spot where his heart is, and sang a song of eternal beauty that only the stars knew and only shared with space elves and fairies. A warmth radiated from her hand and comforted Jimmy's heart. She also (unbeknownst to him, and without causing any discomfort) drew an image of Cindy from his memory, to get a better idea of she who held the heart of Master Neutron (REMEMBER THAT PART. IT'S IMPORTANT.).

When she was done, an elf came in the room and called for Jimmy to come downstairs quickly!

He joined Sneris in the main hall to find her conversing with...a robotic fish? Sneris nodded, and the fish zoomed outside.

"A space fish has spoken to me," she told him, "You have assistance for the fight. Smart thinking, Jimmy."

Jimmy went outside to see a gigantic space fighter resembling the space car they'd won on _Intergalactic Showdown_, but it was dark copper colored with silver lining on the corners and such and two big tusks out of the top of the front window, and it was the size of a Viking ship. The gold lettering read _"Moyer, the Destroyer."_ Jimmy's eyes widened as the flagship of the Gorlock armada loomed over him.

The little elves scampered back through the house from the ship's imposing presence. Inside the huge windshield, April waved and honked the horn, which sounded like a sea ship's foghorn playing "La Cucaracha."

The _Moyer_ landed on the comet, and a ramp lowered under the front. April ran out of this and embraced Jimmy harder than a constipated grizzly bear.

"_Hi, April!"_ Jimmy strained as his bones cracked, "_I guess you got my message, huh?"_ April let go of him.

"Sorry," she said. She looked like she was about to kiss him, but Jimmy held his hand up. (sfx: tire screech)

"Hold it," he said, "I'll have you know that I'm engaged to be married, and we Earthlings only kiss our fiancees when we're betrothed."

"Understandable," April nodded, "Your betrothed is the pale Earth child with sunned hair, loud voice, flying fists, and warrior's stamina, yes?"

"I should have figured you'd know," he answered, "Yeah, Cindy's my betrothed."

"That is wonderful!" April clasped her hands together, "But now, about this battle. I have brought you armor and weapons sufficient enough for subduing a Scylla." He and Sneris followed her into the ship.

"Scylla?" Jimmy turned to Sneris, "Is that what you're called?" She nodded.

"That's the name of my species," she confirmed. April looked at her with interest.

"Ah," she said, "So this is she whom you must destroy?" she asked. They both nodded, a little uncomfortable with her bluntness.

"Wonderful," she continued, "I've always wanted to see a Scylla fight. Father told me a story of one he once saw, but never have I dreamed to meet one."

As they all talked through the ship, Jimmy noticed how much April had grown in the past 8 years. She carried herself with pride and grace, and the blood of her people was always in her countenance. April, too, noticed that Jimmy had grown considerably taller since she saw him last. His shoulders were slightly broader, and he certainly looked a little stronger (very little). They got to the Captain's quarters.

"Here," April said as she opened a hutch, "Your size won't matter, Jimmy. Gorlock armor is made of pure primnetch, the most elusive and adaptable material in the universe. It's very rare, and very valuable. Many worlds have sought its origin, (she said this as Jimmy tried the armor on) but the planets it comes from are very protective, and share it with few planets on a first-come, first-serve basis. How does it feel?"

"It's perfect!" Jimmy said. His armor, of course, looked just like April's; he felt pretty silly, but he was grateful. The Gorlocks had fashioned some pretty hard stuff out of this primnetch.

"It feels great," he said, moving his fingers and arms, "It's hard as steel, but it breathes like cotton! It feels...special...like I can do _anything_ in it!" He began to understand Gorlock's enthusiasm for combat.

"It should," she said humbly, "It was my brother's." Jimmy stopped.

"Your brother's?" he asked. She nodded and blushed.

"I'll tell you later," she said quietly, "For now, we must prepare you for battle."

**Author's Review:**

Oh, my goodness. I apologize profusely, guys; it's been a long time since my last submission, thanks to evil school. Bleh!

Anyways, references and explanations...

April's "very rare, very valuable" line is a reference to an old 60's short film called "Johnny Lingo," which is something EVERYONE should watch!

VeggieTales fans will recognize the name _'Moyer, the Destroyer'_ from the Star of Christmas video. The church's caretaker, Moyer, was a retired boxer with the above nickname.

April calling her father "the delight of her eyes" is a reference to the 3rd book of Narnia, "The Horse and His Boy." In Calormen, all children refer to their fathers as "the delight of their eyes."

Sneris' line about the space fish, "A space fish has spoken to me," is a humble nod to Muppets From Space! Snaps for Gonzo!

Lastly, the title is a reference to The Sound of Music ("I have confidence in sunshine!")

And...I think that's it. How was that? Too short? Too long? What? Review, please!


	10. One Less Enemy, One More Friend

Again, sorry for being so late, but classes end TOMORROW! Wish me luck for finals next week, please!

Okay, I really think you're going to like this chapter; it's _very_ revealing! ;)

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**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own the original characters, but you know that already. :s

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"_Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find."_- Natasha Beddingfield, _Unwritten

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**Chapter 10: One Less Enemy, One More Friend**

Libby, Carl, and Sheen got out of the dungeon and started looking for any place the Yolkians might have been holding the rocket.

"Now y'all keep quiet," whispered Libby as they tiptoed, "I don't want anyone freaking out if we run into"--

Then a guard found them.

"YOLKIANS!" Carl panicked and ran in the opposite direction. Libby didn't know what to do for a second, but she first tai kwon did the guard out of his case and grabbed his spear.

"_Sheen!_" she said, "Get Carl! I'm gonna find the rocket!" She ran down the hall.

"But how do I fight?" he called.

"Just use your Ultra Lord moves!" she said, "And be careful!" Feeling left with nothing, Sheen shrugged and took after Carl.

Meanwhile in the cockpit, Goobot heard shouting and violent thumping outside his doors. They slammed open and one of his men fell by him, fried to a crisp. Goobot turned to see Cindy covered in mucous with a zapping spear that had goo on the point.

"I tried it out," she said viciously as she spat goo out of her mouth, "It works great." Goobot looked down at his guard. Holy crap; he was _dead!_ Cindy said her next sentence with slow steps, flashing eyes, and a dangerous voice.

"_Where...is...my...fiancee?"_

She cornered Goobot at the front window. He was alone and outmanned by a woman who knew tai chi.

"Now, Cindy," he said, backing nervously up the dashboard, "Dear, let's not try anything rash."

"RASH?" she jerked her spear close to his face, "Rash is driving your mother's car without permission and having it totaled! **Rash** is buying a fashion magazine and finding it in your brother's locker! _This isn't rash, Goobot! _THIS IS ENRAGED! YOU STOLE MY FIANCEE, AND I WANT HIM BACK, NOW!"

She put one hand on him and poised her spear in a throw position as hot tears started to leak out.

"Now I want the _truth_, Goobot!" she shouted, "And you'd BETTER answer me straight: WHAT DID YOU DO WITH JIMMY? WHERE IS HE, AND HOW DO I FIND HIM?"

Goobot had now become afraid enough of this child to tell her all.

"The truth is," he squeaked, "All we did was torture him! We left him half-dead on some rock in a galaxy we don't know about! I swear!"

"Give me the coordinates!" Cindy demanded.

"We don't have them," he grinned, "Once we left him, I erased them."

This stunned her. Jimmy was lying on a space rock aLONE?

The hand holding the spear shook, and she dropped him and fell on her knees.

"You don't know where he is?" her voice was hollow. Her hand gripped the spear.

"Neither do I care!" he found his courage, "He's defeated and humiliated me for the very last time! I've torn him down in the worst way, and you'll never see him again!"

(Shatter) Her spear found its way through his body case and pinned him to the control panel. He and it short-circuited and the cockpit started to explode.

Cindy ran out down the hall. She heard Carl's voice inside a room whining, "What's going on?" Cindy immediately opened the room and found him in the rocket with Libby trying to fire it up. Sheen ran in from a different way with Goddard in his arms.

"I found Goddard!" he ran to them, "He's fine! Where's Cindy?"

"Right here!" she joined them, "Get in, Sheen! This bird's going down!" Sheen dived in headfirst.

"What about Goobot?" Libby asked with the dog in her lap.

"He's dead," Cindy answered shortly in the last second before they took off.

They shot through a side window as the chicken ship collapsed in on itself and finally blew. The impact thrust them head over heels, and they were screaming. Before Cindy knew what was happening, the rocket jolted, they landed on a dark space rock, were thrown out and scattered, and she was caught in a pair of muscular arms.

"Don't worry none," a warm, deep voice said, "I've got you, sweetheart."

"What in the world?" she asked, discombobulated, "Are you _human_?" He gently put her down and ran to Libby.

"My dear," he answered sorrowfully, "I've been away from home so long, I don't even know anymore." Then he said to Libby, "Come now, darling. Up and at 'em. This is no place to nap." He lifted Libby to her feet. As she watched him revive the boys, Cindy couldn't help but feel safe around this man. He had dark red hair and a Chuck Norris styled beard to match. It was too dark to see his eyes, but she guessed green. He wore a white lab coat, a worn-out light sweater, old jeans, and no shoes.

'_He's so kind,'_ she thought, _'He could be my own father, he's such a gentleman. At the same time, I feel like I know him!'_ Libby shared the feeling. Once the strange, kind man gathered the four of them together, he made a request of them.

"Children," he said, "You are undisputably from Earth, as am I. You can't be hallucinations, because I felt you. My wish is that we hadn't met on this accursed rock."

"Cursed?" Carl repeated.

"Not really," he said, "But I've been on it for months now, trying to find a way off here. Do you have room in your vehicle for one more?"

"Yes, of course," answered a bewildered Cindy, "but if you don't mind, who are you?" The man looked down.

"When I was worth anything at all," he said with remorse and tears in his eyes, "I was a famous astronaut named Jacob Turner, nicknamed 'Jack.' (At this, the kids sharply and silently drew a breath.) I had a faithful wife and a beautiful little girl who would be about your age named"--

"Alex," Cindy cut across him, "Alexandra Turner! Right?" The man, Jack, stared at her in surprise.

"Yes," he said in amazement, "That's exactly what her name is! Who _are_ you children? How do you know my daughter?"

"Come with us!" Cindy grabbed his elbow, "We'll explain everything."

They quickly ushered Jack into the rocket (which, again, suffered no damage) and found a moon to land on. There, they got a meal out of the hypercube and allowed Jack to stuff himself full (eating heartily themselves) before they talked.

"Mr. Turner," Cindy immediately started, "We know your daughter because she's one of our best friends! She lives with us in Retroville; my family and I housed her until she got her own place in town. Your wife...is in a psychiatric hospital in town. Alex sees her every day." Jack was horrified.

"_My_ wife?" he asked, "How did she end up like that?" Cindy looked away uncomfortably, so Libby took over.

"Alex told us once," she spoke up, "that your ship had malfunctioned and flown off with you in it...when you didn't come back...they told your family you were dead. Alex believed them, but your wife didn't. She went on believing you'd come back until they finally committed her." Jack's eyes looked hurt, and he sighed and put his head in his hand.

"No," he said sadly, "Leah..."

"I'm sorry, sir," Libby said, "We all are. But we can't take you home until our mission's complete." Jack lifted his head.

"Mission?" he asked with interest.

"Yeah!" Sheen put in, "Our friend Jimmy was kidnapped by aliens, and we're off to find him in a death-defying _quest of friendship!_" (Awkward moment of silence.)

"Fascinating," Jack smiled, "And who is this young man with such dedicated friends?"

"Our **best** friend, Jimmy Neutron!" Sheen piped.

"And Cindy's fiancee," Carl giggled.

"Well," Cindy blushed, "Yeah, we're kind of engaged."

Jack saw the ring on her hand and examined it.

"Congratulations, my dear," he said, "That's a lovely ring. He made that himself, did you know?"

"He _did_?" Cindy drew back her hand and stared at the heart-shaped diamond, "How can you tell?"

He answered with a smile, "The diamonds you buy at the store have a uniform cut on the inside. That one doesn't." (I don't know if that's necessarily true; I'm not well-versed in that stuff. If anyone here knows about that–like Genius Flyboy?;)–please inform me.)

'_Wow,'_ Cindy thought, _'He never told me he made this! I thought he just modified it!'_

"Mr. Turner," Carl asked, "How long have you been lost in space?"

"That year," he thought out loud, "was my daughter's 10th birthday, and she should by 19 by now, so...9 years now."

"Man," Libby said, "I can't believe you survived all this time!"

"And you four haven't found me a moment too soon," Jack said, "Thank you."

"No," said a bulky club-wielding figure behind him, "Thank _you_."

WHUMP! Jack and the children were clubbed over their heads and dragged away, but Libby wasn't hurt. The group that had ambushed them stared in awe at her and hoisted her above their heads and carried her and her friends away.

**Author's Review:**

Wow; I think I'm getting pretty good at this cliffhanger thing:D Mwa ha ha! I am so evil! Okay, not really...

The only thing I've got this time is the "fashion magazine in brother's locker" thing. I got that from the movie "The Pacifier." Cute movie; I think y'all should see it! Oh; and did y'all catch the "tai kwon did" quip? XD I thought that was kinda funny!

Okay, bye! I'm off to the chinchilla protest!


	11. Sugar, YOU'RE Going Down!

Again, thank you all for your reviews! And again, I apologize for taking so long. I think I'm in a bit of a funk right now, but I'll try to do better, I promise.

And now, here is the fight you've all been waiting for. I'm sorry to say it'll be kinda short, but hey: The whole rest of the story is pretty big itself, so don't worry.

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**_Disclaimer:_** You know the drill...

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"_And now, Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure."_-Albus Dumbledore, _Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince _(WHY, DUMBLEDORE? WHY?)_

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**Chapter 11: Sugar, YOU'RE going down!**

The hour was quickly approaching. Jimmy and Sneris sat and talked one last time before their fated battle.

"Thank you for doing this for me, Jimmy," Sneris began, "As your tv fan, I dreamed of meeting you. It will be an honor and a privilege to fall under your hand. I only wish I could've met you in happier circumstances."

"Same here, Sneris," Jimmy nodded, "In any occasion, I'm glad I met you. Despite your heritage, you're a good person, and I hope you'll find an afterlife without the burden of a murderous nature."

"Thank you, Jimmy," Sneris nodded, "You're a good man."

"I'm gonna check on the elves," he excused himself. He wasn't exactly comfortable having a conversation with someone he was about to kill that basically consisted of "It's been a nice visit, but I have to kill you now."

Jimmy walked onto the _Moyer_, where the 20 elf girls had situated themselves in the cargo bay and were sitting on crates and boxes and swinging in nets.

"Master Neutron!" piped Marthis as they flew to greet him, "What brings you to us so early?"

"I just came to check on you and see how you're doing," he smiled.

"We are well enough off, Master," said Taram, "How do _you_ fare?"

"I'm a little nervous," he answered, "but I think I'll be all right. Just promise me you won't leave the ship, okay?"

"Yes, sir," they nodded. Jimmy looked at them all and counted.

"Hey," he frowned, "Someone's missing. (His face paled.) Where's Coraham?"

Just then, April burst into the bay and fell back against the wall to rest, cradling a frightened Coraham in her arms.

"April!" he said in shock as he took the elf girl, "What happened?" April spoke a command into her wrist, and all windows were immediately tinted so that no one outside could look in (remember: Whatever she can see, she'll kill!).

"The hour has struck," she panted, "Rendikrauss is now. She almost killed this elf, but I got her."

"Thank you so much, April," he sighed and handed Coraham back, "I'll take it from here." He made sure he had all his weapons, adjusted his helmet, and left the ship with a laser sword unsheathed.

"Come, children," April led them to the cockpit, "You may watch if you like, but you must obey your master."

"We understand, great guest," they chorused and nodded. April held Coraham the whole time, and they all watched with bated breath as Jimmy strode across the rocky yard to meet Sneris with all six heads and skin with a yellow corn snake pattern and blood-red cat's eyes. Her fangs were star white, and glistened with saliva as her forked tongues slithered.

"Sneris," he held up his sword, "This is only because you asked me to!"

As Jimmy charged Sneris, the girls were cheering him.

"Go, Master Neutron!" rooted Taram, "You can do it!"

"Dear Ayne," Coraham prayed, "Keep my master safe and aid him that he may emerge victorious." April said nothing, only watched with sharp Gorlock eyes, should the need for action arise on her part. Her ship's cockpit crew, always up for a battle, also kept a close, silent watch.

Jimmy started off with him and Sneris circling around. Her six heads were eager to crack into his armor and see what was inside to _eat_. One head snapped at him with an elongated neck, but he swung at its teeth, and the pointed tops fell out. Sneris roared and lunged at him heads-on.

She pinned him down. Jimmy took advantage of the point-blank range and sliced off her five extra heads, just barely missing the main one. As blood gushed in all directions, Sneris screamed and threw Jimmy across the yard. Her five heads grew back, and she ran at him again.

"Gas planet!" he scrambled to his feet and ran behind a pillar in front of the house, "Come ON! Think! Think! THINK..."

In his mind's ear, he remembered Sneris telling him earlier, "If you can get a hold of me so I can't move, the best thing that'll do me in is this green arrow with a black-pointed tip." His mind's eye revealed his laser whip April had lent him, the elves securing Sneris with the curtain ropes, and the arrow Sneris had given him.

"Brain blast!" he said. He quickly got out his laser whip and waited for Sneris. When she came in range, he lashed her with his whip, yelling "Back! Back!" like he was a lion tamer. Sneris shrieked with the burns his whip inflicted on her, but her natural lust for blood would not relent. She kept after Jimmy, but he caught the whip around her wrist and pulled her to the pillar. Sneris was thrashing madly to get out of the burning trap and to destroy this nuisance. One head tried to chomp throgh, but then shrieked; the pain was too much.

Jimmy ran behind the pillar. One of the heads craned around with its shining white teeth, but Jimmy ducked and his helmet whammed the head. Jimmy quickly ran around the pillar, binding Sneris with the burning whip. The searing pain let up smoke from where it touched Sneris, as well as the scent of burning flesh. As she roared in pain with her heads flailing around, Jimmy strung the arrow on his bow and took aim.

"I won't forget you, Sneris," he said quietly, "Thank you for helping me." As soon as he had a clear shot of her heart, Jimmy released the arrow.

In the split second before she died, Sneris with her main head smiled gratefully through her tears, as did her other heads as they bowed and closed their eyes.

Sneris glowed orange with yellow crack lines. It affected the pillar she was tied to, and it exploded. The rest of the mansion started to crumble. As Jimmy ran from the wreckage, April and her men fired up the _Moyer_ and lowered the ramp. After one quick glance, Jimmy ran aboard as the ship took off.

"Jimmy, you did it!" April hugged him in the cockpit, "A more intelligent battle I never saw!" As she socked his left shoulder.

"Master!" Coraham and Taram led the girls in a hug-fest, "Thank Ayne you're all right!"

"Oo-rah, Jimmy Neutron of Earth!" said the cockpit crew from their posts as they hit their chests once in unison. Jimmy removed the helmet.

"Thank you, everybody," Jimmy said, "And right now, I'd like to talk to my elf friends. If you'll excuse me."

He led them to a private, comfortable sitting room. Coraham and Taram knelt by his knees as he sat. Marthis and the four sat behind them, and the others gathered around him.

"Girls," he started, "You all did great in helping me calm Sneris down last night. I couldn't have done it without you. You are all loyal, trustworthy, and irrefutably adorable...(He paused.) And I will not hold you in captivity as my slaves. You deserve to be free, to be with your families, or if you want, to serve other kind masters. None of you have to go home with me if any of you don't want to."

A silence followed. Then Marthis stood up.

"Are you saying, Master," she asked, "that we are free?"

"Free to do whatever you want," he nodded, "go wherever you want to go. My only wish is that you'll remember me as your friend, rather than your master."

All but seven of them cheered and flitted about for joy: Coraham, Taram, Marthis, and the four gardeners that had learned to lasso.

"But, sir," one of the other 13 flew and touched his shoulder, "May we stay with you until you return home? We want to help you!"

"Oh," he said, "Yeah, okay, if you want."

"Master Neutron," Coraham sadly leaned on his knee again, "Since we _are_ free...Can we seven still come with you?"

He looked at her sad face and the others' equally gloomy ones.

"You're sure you want to go to Earth with me?" he asked. They vigorously nodded. Jimmy thought for a minute. He'd seriously been considering adopting Coraham, but what about the others? He couldn't adopt _all_ of them! Then he got an idea.

"Tell you what," he said, "I'll take you home with me, and I know some people who will take good care of you. If you want, they could adopt you. What do you say?"

"Adopt?" they repeated the word with confusion.

"It's like this," he explained, "I'll introduce each of you to a person who I think could take care of you as their child. If you both like each other, we'll take you to a place where you and the person will become parent and child. Would you like that? To be free daughters rather than slaves or servants?"

"Any friend of yours, we'll go with," Marthis said enthusiastically, "Won't we, girls?" They all agreed wholeheartedly. April came in just then and ushered the girls to bed, but Jimmy needed to ask Coraham just one more question, so she stayed.

"What is it, Master?" she asked eagerly.

"I'm not usually good at expressing myself well, Coraham," he said, "but I've gotten very fond of you in the time I've taken to know you. If Cindy agrees, would you like to be _my_ daughter?" Corahams' eyes shone.

"Really, Master?" she breathed, "You want me to be your child?" He nodded.

"If Cindy agrees to it," he said, "I'd like to adopt you."

"Oh, Master!" she bubbled as she hugged him, "I am so fond of you also! I would _love_ to call you my father!"

"Awesome!" he said, "Now I think you'd better join the others for bed, okay? And don't tell them about it, all right?"

"Yes, Master," she nodded and skipped out. Jimmy sighed happily. Man, he loved that kid. He just hoped Cindy would, too, and that the people he had in mind would take the others in. This was his plan...

He would give Taram to Alex. Taram's medicality matched Alex all too well. Marthis would go to his parents. Judy undoubtedly would miss having a little one in the house, and she could help with the chores, as Marthis was a master of laundry.

The four garden elves' names were Sherem (_Share_-um), Chemnal, (_Kem_-null) Leriah (Luh-_rye_-uh), and Chidori (chee-door-ee).

Sherem he planned on giving to Cindy's mother, lest she also suffer Empty Nest Syndrome. Chemnal would go to Sheen. Their bouncy natures matched all too well (plus, Chemnal's a bit of a tomboy). Libby, if she wanted, could take Leriah; Leriah had an eye for detail and music (and good dancing) similar to Libby's, so they'd go great together. And Chidori, with her sweet and soft-spoken manner, would be great with Carl.

"_Jimmy,"_ said an angelic voice, _"Look beside you."_ He turned to his left and saw the ghost of Sneris! Her feet were gone, and she was translucent, but she looked as calm and composed as she had the fist time he saw her. She had her normal clothes on, and her hair floated ever so slightly.

"Sneris?" was all he could say. She nodded and smiled.

"I wanted to come to you one last time and say thank you," she said, "before I journey beyond the veil. Thank you, James Neutron, from the bottom of my heart. I am freed from my exile now, and I wish to give you a gift as a keepsake, in remembrance of me." She removed her glasses, folded them, let a tear drop on the middle of the bridge, and placed them in Jimmy's hands.

"Your glasses?" he said, "But...why? Why are you giving me these?"

"In your darkest hours," she answered, "When you have cause to doubt, fear, or despair, put them on. They will help you see circumstances as they _are_, not as they appear. You may well find they could save your life, and they will help you in trying times of confusion and sorrow. They are my wedding gift to you." She placed her hand over her heart and bowed. This was killing Jimmy.

"Sneris," he said painfully, "I"--

"Feel no remorse for what you've done, Jimmy," Sneris jumped ahead of him with her hand up, "It was for me. This was what I wanted. You should be happy that you helped out a friend."

"Well," he blushed, "Battling to the death isn't exactly what I'd call helping a friend on my planet." Sneris smiled at him fondly again and shook her head.

"My dear James," she prophesied affectionately, "You are still very naive to the ways of space...But before your journey is over, before you are reunited with your loved ones, before you ever return to Earth, you will have gained wisdom enough to last you a lifetime. You will suffer much, but you will gain more. My advice to you: Hold on to what you have now, and it will help you find your love again. And take care of Coraham and Taram and the others for me. They are such dear things."

"I will. Thank you, Sneris," Jimmy said, "I'll keep your gift forever."

"As I shall keep you, James," she replied, "in my memory forever. Farewell...my dear friend." And she disappeared.

Bewildered, Jimmy looked at the pair of glasses in his hands. The frames and halfway parts of the handles were silver. The remaining ends were pure gold, and the lenses were flawless crystal. There was a teardrop shape on the nose bride. Jimmy had never seen anything like them.

**Author's Review:**

Yeah: That was kinda an abrupt end and a short fight...it was kinda weird overall. :S Meh...

Anyway, don't get too wrapped up in the whole glasses thing. We won't see them used in this story, but probably in later stories. But I do want you to remember what she said about "hold on to what you have, and it will help you find your love." The meaning will be WAY later, and in an unexpected package. And pay attention to Coraham, especially. ;D I ain't saying nothing!

So, yeah: REVIEW, PLEASE! First one gets a cookie:D


	12. The Geeks of the Mountain

Yay! I love getting reviews! Okay; you'll need to pay attention to this chapter: There will be a lot of references to other shows, games, etc. in this one. It's really funny:) Ready? Okay!

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**_Disclaimer_**: I own Alex, the bulky people, Jake Turner, and the people to be in this, but not Cindy or Libby, Sheen, and Carl, or any of the games and such that this chapter refers to; but y'all know that, so I'll shut up.

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"_This is the only piece of my heart left; can I trust you with it?"-_ Me, I made that up.

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**Chapter 12: Geeks of the Mountain**

"PUT ME DOWN!" Libby was vehemently protesting as she and the unconscious others were being carried away, "I don't know _who_ y'all think you are, but you best be letting us go **now!** Hello! Are you listening to me? I said put me down! Now!" She saw Goddard barking and growling, trying to break free.

"As you wish, Royal One," said one of the men carrying her, "We have arrived at your castle."

"_Castle?"_ Libby looked ahead and saw a mountain with a magnificent castle carved out of it. The roofs of the turrets were polished so that they reflected the twinkling starlight. It was a beautiful castle indeed.

"_Hoochie Mama,"_ Libby whispered with wide eyes.

"Is it to your liking, Great One?" asked a muscular woman who was also carrying her.

"Baby, this crib is _pimp_!" Libby exclaimed, using street slang for the first time, "I mean...Yes! It is! Very much!"

"Wonderful!" said the woman, "This will please the Council greatly."

"Council?" Libby thought out loud, "What Council?"

"_Your_ council, Divine One," the woman smiled, "They have governed the kingdom while we awaited your arrival. We don't understand it all too well ourselves, but they will explain it all to you in the Royal Court."

A Royal Court didn't sound too bad; but Libby still wondered...

"And my friends?" she nodded to the unconscious others, "What's to be done with them?"

"Your reign has not yet begun," the woman answered, "So it will be up to the Council." Libby gulped; that did sound too bad. So she patiently let the bulky animal skin-dressed people heard her and the others to the beautiful castle.

The group stopped a good distance from the drawbridge. When the guards recognized them, it came crashing down before them in an ungraceful manner. They crossed over it and into a scarlet-walled long main hall, where Libby was met with the most bizarre sights (as far as castles go). The walls were lined with framed comic books in gold, silver, and shining oak. She saw cards from "Yu-Gi-Oh!" and "Magic: The Gathering" and other games like that in long glass display cases, each on its own silken pillow in separate blocks. There were little display lights on them too, like in jewelry stores. Further down was a case that held a shattered red jewel, one that had a wooden staff with an orb inside the top, one with a leaf made of metal and painted a shimmering green, one with a pair of jeans with a butterfly embroidered on the left front pocket, and a bracelet with all butterfly charms, and a flat-topped ring with a green floral print on it; the list was endless.

By the time they'd passed a case that held (all in one) a green vest with a silver pocket watch, a small black hat, and a black umbrella, Libby found they had entered a torch lit circular room as high as a cathedral ceiling turreted at the top with a red painted-over brick wall, and many wide grey marble staircases winding up and down the walls, criss-crossing each other. Besides the doorway they'd come in, there were other stone doorways painted gold and leading who-knows-where. Directly opposite from the entrance were two golden thrones lined with red velvet and with matching footrests. Hanging by the thrones on both sides were red and gold hangings with forked ends on the bottom. There were also open windows higher up the wall that allowed the starlight to stream in and mingle with the torchlight. On the rich mahogany-lain floor was a huge circular rug with a gold unicorn rearing, its white horn held high, against a bright red background, bordered by a darker red. In the middle of the floor, the crowd stopped. Several heads turned in confusion.

"Gothel," said Libby's male bearer behind his hand to the woman, "where is the Council?"

"Don't you remember, Dogma?" she whispered nervously, "It is the weekly Night of the Dragon tonight. They said they'd be late." Dogma gulped.

"How late?" he asked. As if in answer, several voices were heard overhead. In a circle of twelve windows, twelve cloaked and hooded figures appeared against the starlight. When they saw the procession below them, they gasped long and sharp and stepped over the window sills onto their own staircase and practically flew down their steps, sometimes passing each other like vultures circling dead prey. It made your head turn this way and that for about 2 minutes. But in the end, they all came down around the crowd and made a semicircle before them.

"Is it true?" they whispered to each other, "Just look at her! She's beautiful! Can it truly be? Have we found one at last? Who are these others? Look at that dog! He's incredible!"

After a minute's worth of their awestruck whisperings, the middlemost raised his left hand and said softly, "Peace, brothers." Then he said to the bearers, "Gothel, Dogma, you may set the lady down, and her canine. Take the others to the Underground. Then, stay away until you are called." He said this last sentence rather haughtily, or so Libby thought. Either way, she was soon set on her feet, and Goddard was curling protectively as well around her legs as a robot can, whining as the others were carried away. Not looking at him, Libby petted his nose.

"Who are you?" she calmly demanded, "Why have you brought us here?" The assumed leader who had first spoken stepped forward.

"We are the Council of Twelve," said a voice that was geeky with a stuffy nose (sounding _remotely_ like Bullwinkle), "And we have waited for you for a long time." The figure uncovered his head to reveal a pale 12-year-old boy's face with black glasses that were taped around the bridge, an unnatural number of freckles, ears that stuck out like an ape, and a mess of sandy hair. One of Libby's eyes squinted halfway as she raised the opposite eyebrow and dropped her jaw. She could _not_ believe what she was seeing!

"You look quite shocked, my lady," said the boy nervously, "What troubles you?"

"Y-you're a..." Libby paused, "You're a _nerd_!"

"We do not know what you mean by...'nerd,' as you call it," he made quotation signs with his hands, "but we are your loyal council, milady! Brothers, show yourselves to our queen!"

The other figures (half of whom had been staring with geeky fascination at the robot dog) also put their hoods down. Libby was positive she had never seen such an elaborate assortment of geeks in her life, and was suddenly thankful that she had friends like Sheen and Carl.

Suddenly, Libby's head lurched forward a bit as her stomach churned at the sight of these boys. Her right hand clutched her tummy, the left her mouth.

"What's wrong, my lady?" asked the first geek, moving forward a bit as Libby dropped to her knees. She was utterly repulsed.

"I think I'm gonna be sick."

**Author's Review:**

Ha, ha! Nerds make Libby sick! So funny! Okay, long list of references here:

Libby being called "Royal/Great/Divine One" is inspired by the old movie, "The Ten Commandments," starring Charleton Heston!

"Hoochie Mama" is a line from Seinfeld.

Gothel is the name of the villainess from "Barbie as Rapunzel."

Dogma is the name of this movie I once saw with George Carlin.

"Night of the Dragon" is a homage to the game Dungeons and Dragons (which I've never played).

The wooden staff in the glass case is the Staff of Dreams from "Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams."

The shattered red jewel is from "Teen Titans" episode called "Betrothed." It's the Jewel of Charta, but we'll find that out in a later chapter.

The metal leaf is a Leaf of Lorion from Lord of the Rings.

The butterfly-embroidered jeans and butterfly charm bracelet are trademarks of Mariah Carey from her album "Butterfly Charm," I think...anyone wanna correct me, please?

The floral print ring is the Ring of Solaria from "Winx Club," which I've only seen a couple of times. :s

The watch, umbrella and hat belong to Sam the Snowman from "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

And...I think that's it. Any questions, comments or concerns? (I hope not) Please review! See ya!


	13. Intruder Alert!

Gah! Somebody help me! I'm currently (hand) writing the 3rd story in the 3-parter I keep babbling about, and I keep stumbling across a writer's block! (Scream of terror). Please send me some good vibes in your reviews, and their magic will seep into the Artist Within, and I'll get out of this rut.

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"_My heart is a lonely island, floating in an ocean of unfound love."_ -Me, I made that up, too.

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**_Diclaimer:_** Yeah, April and Jimmy don't belong to me, just the wee blue lassies.

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**Chapter 13: Intruder Alert!**

"Jimmy?"

April opened the sitting chamber door to find Jimmy still standing with a pair of glasses in his hands and tear streams down his face.

"What is wrong?" she approached him, "Your face is etched with sorrow. Please tell me."

"Sneris," he swallowed, "was here just now. She came to say goodbye for the last time. She left her glasses with me." He showed them to her.

"They're beautiful," she admired them, "Such crafts must surely carry magic."

"They do," Jimmy looked up at her, "They'll show me things as they really are in my desperate hours."

"You would do well," she advised, "to keep them safely put away."

"Good idea," he said, "Oh, and here's your brother's armor back," as he took it off (don't worry, he's got clothes on!), "Thanks a lot, April. It really helped."

"You're welcome," she took the armor, "My brother fought many battles in this suit."

"What happened to him?" Jimmy asked. April got a faraway look in her eyes as she stared at the armor she was holding.

"He died in battle," she said, "against a Scylla."

"You mean one of Sneris' kind?" a dumbfounded Jimmy asked.

"Yes," April looked down sorrowfully, "It was the same Scylla my father told me about long ago. He was trying to save my brother...but he was too late." She turned around and cried.

"I _did_ find your enthusiasm about my battle odd, now that I think about it," Jimmy scratched his head, "I'm really sorry, April."

"It's okay," she turned and smiled, "I came to terms with his death long ago. He died with honor, and I always keep his armor preserved in his memory, just as I have preserved his memory in my heart." They both smiled at the lovely thought, but then felt a jolt as a red light alarm went off.

"Quick!" April shouted, "To the cockpit!" Jimmy ran behind her into the hallway, when a tiny voice cried, "Master!" Jimmy skidded to a halt and turned to find a frightened Coraham.

"Coraham!" he knelt by her, "What are you doing up? You shouldn't be out here; it's dangerous!"

"We felt the bump, and it woke us up," Coraham cried (literally), "We got scared, so the others sent me to find out what's happening." Jimmy touched her little face and smiled.

"We don't know what's going on yet, sweetheart," he stroked her head, "but don't you worry. Ms. April's a smart person, like me. And the people that work for her are specially trained. They'll know what to do." He kissed the crown of her head and said, "Now you go stay with your friends. I need you to be their strength." He held her small hand.

"Yes, Master," Coraham replied with a smile and disappeared with a (pop!).

"What's going on, April?" he asked by April's raised captain's chair (like on Star Trek!)

"Meteor barrage," she answered, straightening herself back up, "Apparently, there are metals in this ship that are magnetically attracting them. If we don't find some way to throw them off, we'll be blown to dust"–!

(Foom!)

"Aah! Aah!" the elves were tossed about as the ship turned sideways up.

"Ayne preserve us!" Taram cried, "What can we do?"

"We've got to protect the ship somehow!" said Chidori.

"But how?" asked Chemnal, "We're just children! How could we protect such a vessel as this?"

"With our Gift!" Coraham got the idea that caught their attention, "We may be children, but so what? We are elves! We have magic! I suggest we use our magic to protect the ship and help Master Neutron, Ms. April, and all the people to figure out what to do! What say ye, my sisters?" (Not really sisters; just close friends.)

"Coraham," spoke up Chemnal, "You know I'm always ready to do what I can, but even with all we are, can we really do it?" Taram touched her shoulder.

"Surely you do not doubt your own heritage, your own blood?"

"No," was all Chemnal could think to say, "Of course not!"

"Then," Taram raised her eyes and voice, "By the golden voice of Ayne, let us join hands and chant the song of protection!"

A few seconds later, all 20 of the little girls were in a hand-holding circle with their eyes closed, focusing their energy on the ship, its captain and crew, and their master.

(Boom!) A meteor jolted the ship.

"Damage report!" barked April.

"You'll never believe this, ma'am," an officer said, "but...none!"

The elf girls were still singing when Coraham's eyes suddenly flew open, then half closed, a golden light glowing in them. Something was wrong.

"Meh..." she strained, "Ma...Mar–Marthis," she squeezed Marthis' hand. Marthis turned to her, concerned.

"Ma'am!" another officer said urgently, "Something is pulling us away from the meteors, but..."

"But WHAT?" April yelled.

"It's too strong!" he panicked, "It's pulling us down to that planet down there at an alarming speed! If we try to break free, the engines won't hold out! _We're going to crash_!"

"GET DOWN!" Jimmy pulled April down with him.

"Coraham!" Marthis gasped, "Coraham, wake up! Fight back! Someone's trying to intrude! You must fight it! _Everyone! Stop your magic!_" The others snapped awake and asked what was going on.

"Look!" Marthis said, holding Coraham's hands, "It's Coraham! An intruder is trying to get inside her! She can't move! She can't talk! Coraham, please!" she pled with her, "Do not let the intruder in! Do not let them win!"

"What shall we do, Marthis?" Chidori cried.

"Can no one go inside her and help?" Leriah asked.

"_I'll_ try!" Taram said bravely as she stood before Coraham. She touched her star-shaped shoulder clamp. A spot glowed, and she touched Coraham's clamp as a blue line of magic attached itself to Coraham's star clamp, making Taram's eyes glow blue enough so that you could still see her pupils. Their hair and toga dresses floated as Taram fiercely went into her friend's mind, trying to locate and chase away the intruder. She found it: A huge, green snake with gold-lit eyes that hissed at her. It lunged for her with its needle sharp fangs; at the last second before contact, the line whipped and shattered like glass, and Taram-in-reality was blown a few feet away from Coraham and was caught up by two others. She was shaken, but alive. Coraham, however, was unconscious.

"Coraham!" Marthis was holding her with her arm under her back, "_Are you all right?_" Coraham woke up.

"Marthis!" she quickly said, "Taram! Everyone! The intruder caught hold of my magic on the ship, and now"–the ship started rolling as it fell, "–WE'RE GOING TO FALL!"

**Author's Review:**

Okay, let's see...

April's whole brother's armor thing is another homage to the book "The Prince and His Boy," after the character Aravis Tarkheena.

I think that's it for now. Please keep reading and reviewing, okay? I love y'all!


	14. Jacob, Take the Wheel

The slowness with which this story is progressing is agonizingly crippling. --' Sorry, y'all. This is gonna be a good one (maybe a tad short), and kinda funny!

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"_When you've been tickling the ivories for as long as I have, you see a broken heart for every drop of rain, a shattered dream for every fallen star."_ -Rowlf the Dog, _The Muppet Movie

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**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own the original characters or the song I've put in here, or the impending Star Wars reference. ;)

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**Chapter 14: Jacob, Take the Wheel**

Sheen was the first to groggily sit up and rub his head.

"You know," he said, "This whole 'waking up in a prison chamber' thing is getting kind of old." He heard a jingling as he rubbed his head. He found his wrists shackled and chained, but the shackles were colder than they should have been. They chilled his wrists so much that they were weak. He also found himself in a dark, stone-cold room with his friends almost regaining consciousness on both sides of him. He heard Mr. Turner groan and slowly sit up.

"Ohh," he said, "What the heck..." Then he saw the chains on his wrists, "Oh, great. Of all places to be held captive..."

"Mr. Turner," Sheen called softly as Carl came to, "What's up? Are you saying you know where we are?"

"Eh!" Carl yelped, "Where are we? My wrists are numb!"

"(Gasp!) Oh, no!" Cindy shot up, "Where's Libby?"

"I don't know," Jacob answered, "but we are prisoners of the Council of Twelve."

"How do you know that?" Cindy turned to him.

"By the shackles on our wrists," Jack held up a fist and examined the shackle, "They're made of the same carbonite that Han Solo was frozen in from Star Wars. The Council of Twelve are the only ones who have carbonite."

"How do you know that, sir?" Carl asked.

"Son," he said, "when you spend 9 years wandering around space, you learn a few things, you meet a few people."

"SO," a big dark voice boomed, "I SEE YOU ARE ALL AWAKENED. YOU SLEPT WELL, I TRUST?"

Cindy lunged forward as far as her chains allowed with new strength of rage and snarled, "_Filthy coward! Why don't you come out and face me yourself and see how tough you are THEN!_"

But Jack gently took hold of her and said, "Peace, dear; calm yourself. You don't know what you say. Allow me to talk to them. I have a feeling they may pose less of a threat than you think." Cindy abruptly shut her mouth with shock and sat down as Jack stood up in a confident manner.

"I'm thinking of a song!" he shouted with a broad grin, "I'm sure you're familiar with it!"

"HUH?" said the booming voice, "I DON'T UNDER..." They heard a pair of fingers snap rhythmically.

"_I've got sunshine,"_ Jack sang in a sweet tenor, _"on a cloudy day..."_

The voice gasped, "WHAT THE"--

Jack continued, still grinning, _"When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May..."_ He paused and then cried out, "Come on, Shemp! I know it's you!"

Finally, the voice couldn't take it anymore. It joined in with Jack as the kids sat with funny looks of dumbfoundment.

_Well,_

_I guess you'd say_

_what could make me feel this way?_

"_My girl,"_ Jack went first.

"_My girl,"_ sang the huge voice.

"_My girl!"_ they both went, _"Talkin' 'bout my girl.."_

"SHEMP, YOU IDIOT!" a second voice boomed, sounding just like the first, "YOU SHOULD BE INTERROGATING THE PRISONERS, NOT KARAOKE'ING WITH THEM!"

"OH, LOOK WHO'S THE IDIOT," Shemp boomed back, "KARAOKE'ING ISN'T EVEN A WORD!"

"OW!" the other voice said, "DON'T YOU SLAP ME, YOU 4TH LEVEL!"

"Uh, guys?" Jack called.

"DOO!" said Shemp, "HOW THOSE WORDS STING!"

"Guys!" Jack raised his voice.

"NOT AS MUCH AS THAT SLAP," said the second, "THAT HURT!"

"_SHEMP! DARKO!"_ Jack screamed, _"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP AND PAY ATTENTION TO ME?"_

"WHAT THE"–Darko said, "HOW DID HE KNOW WHO WE ARE?"

"AS I WAS TRYING TO SAY," Shemp boomed, "LOOK! IT'S BOW MASTER TURNER! HE'S BACK!"

"(GASP) YOU MEAN LEVEL **93** BOW MASTER?" said the astounded Darko.

"THE SAME," Shemp said, "JUST TURN ON THE BIG LIGHT AND SEE!"

With no warning, Jack and the children were instantly blinded by what seemed like a headlight. The kids could now distinctively see the red hair, Chuck Norris-like beard, and sparkling dark green eyes that made him Alex's father.

"BY THE WATERS OF NEPTUNE!" Darko gasped, "IT IS HIM!"

"I SUPPOSE," Shemp said, "WE SHOULD TURN OFF THE BIG VOICE?"

"OH, YEAH," Darko cleared his throat. The big light was also shut off, and some normal lights came on. As the group blinked, two cloaked teenage boys came out and embraced Jack. The kids were confused, so Jack explained.

"I met the Council of Twelve as I floated aimlessly on a space rock. They're a bunch of 12-year-olds in a group of 12. They took care of me and taught me their favorite game, Dragons and Warriors. I got pretty good at it, and when I left, I had their friendship. They must have forgotten me for a minute there." Then he turned back to the boys. "Hey, guys!" he said, "How's it going?"

"Bow Master Turner!" Darko (black hair, brown eyes, freckles) sparkled, "We knew we'd see you again! How did you know it was us on the Big Voice?"

"Who else argues like that?" Jack answered, "Now, uh, do you mind...?" He held up his wrists.

"Of course!" Darko took out a key and freed him, followed by the rest. Cindy was stunned. She turned to Jack.

"You mean to tell me," she heated up, "that we wasted all this time listening to these two nimrods, and that we've been captured BY A BUNCH OF SPACE NERDS?" She scrambled to her feet as her eyes started to tear up.

"I DON'T HAVE TIME TO PLAY AROUND WITH STUPID INTERGALACTIC STAR WARS GEEKS!" she rounded as the two boys shrank back from her, "YOU DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND OR APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT JIMMY IS STILL OUT THERE SOMEWHERE, HAVING WHO-KNOWS-WHAT HAPPEN TO HIM! AND TO TOP IT OFF, WHERE THE HECK DID YOU DUNDERHEADS TAKE LIBBY?" Jack held his ground during her rant, but this child was just overreacting.

"Cindy!" Jack said sharply, "This may be the last thing you want to hear, but I'll have to ask you to _calm down_, all right? Let me talk to these boys and see what we can do for Libby, okay?" He held Cindy's gaze sternly; mad as she was, she couldn't get away from his owl-like eyes, so like Alex's.

"All I ask," he said, "is that you trust me." It was almost like talking to Alex herself. With a lump in her throat, Cindy nodded. She hated to turn over the reins, but she had to learn that she couldn't always handle everything. Jack had spent nine years in space; he knew these boys, and he knew how they think. For now, it was best that she let Mr. Turner handle this. So she remained silent while Jack talked to the boys.

"I don't suppose you boys know where the second young lady of our party is?" he asked them, "Yay tall, dark skin, brown eyes, kinda short hair?" The two boys exchanged looks, and Shemp cleared his throat.

"We can tell _you_, Bow Master Turner," she said, "but (he looked at the others) we do not know these strangers. You'd have to come with us."

"I assure you," Jack pressed, "these youth are well brought up and will cause no harm. I'll vouch for them myself." Shemp and Darko looked nervously at them, especially Cindy.

"We will take them with us, too," Darko said, "as long as they agree to wear these." He withdrew a few bracelets with strange writing engraved on them.

"Do you really think those are necessary?" Jack asked.

"We have to be careful of them," Darko said, "just as we had to be careful of you when we first met you." Jack looked at the kids.

"Hey, I know what those are!" Sheen stepped up, "Those are the Gordanian prison bracelets from Ultra Lord episode 78"– At the same time as the two boys, he finished, "Ultra Lord and the Cuckoo's Nest!"

"That's one of the best episodes ever!" Shemp giggled. All Cindy could do was smack her forehead, thinking, _'Someone please shoot me,' 'This can't be happening,' 'These are the losers who have Libby?'_ and things like that.

**Author's Review**:

I hope y'all enjoyed that Star Wars reference! Kudos to Star Wars!

The game "Dragons and Warriors," for all you game fans, is from Dungeons and Dragons (at least I think it's a game).

Jack being a Level 93 Bow Master is also a reference to warrior games that people play...I've never played any of them myself, but oh, well. :s

The chapter title is a tribute to Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take the Wheel." Love that song!

The "waters of neptune" line is from Spongebob. Hooray!

Oh; and the whole "I'm thinking of a song" thing? I got that from the movie "Madagascar!"

Hey: Will everyone who's reading please review? It's starting to get a little discouraging seeing so few reviews (Or maybe I'm just insecure) :'( Anyway, that's all.

Peace out!

-samuraistar


	15. We're Going Down, Down

Okay; so Libby's been kidnapped by space nerds...yeah. Now let's see what happened after April's ship got caught! It's good, I promise.

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"_Those who know me know I'm a jerk, and treat me as a jerk. Those who don't know me see me as a cripple, so they treat me as a cripple."_-Hugh Laurie as _House, M.D.

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_

**Chapter 15: We're Going Down, Down**

When Jimmy came to, he was lying on his stomach on top of something bobbing in open air, and two tiny hands were gently pressed against his left arm with warm, gentle magic pulling him back to consciousness.

"Master," whispered a small voice. Jimmy lifted his head and saw Taram.

"Taram," he said weakly, pushing himself up, "What happened?" He started to lurch forward, but Taram caught him up.

"Be careful, Master," she explained, "You're hurt. I can't tell you everything right now. We have to find everyone. In short, we have crash-landed on this planet!"

Jimmy looked around them as he drew Taram closer. They were on top of the ship, along with April and some of her men. The ship was floating on a freezing ocean, like they were in the Arctic Circle. Most of the other Gorlocks were rescuing the elves from little icebergs they were stuck on. Jimmy picked up Taram and walked uneasily to where April and three elves were.

"Master!" the little ones piped and ran to him. April had just taken Chidori from one of her men.

"Are you all right, Jimmy?" April asked. He nodded.

"Where are the rest of the girls?" he asked, "Are they okay?"

"Inside," she answered, "Only these five were thrown out, but they're all fine. You go down and see to them while we try to gather our bearings."

Jimmy nodded and took Chidori and led the girls inside the ship, where the rest were huddled in the room they'd slept in. They jumped up and greeted them when they came in, and Jimmy asked where Coraham was. The little elves fell silent and turned to a dark corner where Coraham was sitting fetal with Marthis trying to console her. Jimmy left the others and went to her. Marthis backed away a couple of feet to give him room.

"Coraham," he asked, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"It's my fault," she said, "that we crashed here. We tried to protect the ship, and someone intruded into my magic and pulled us down with it. Forgive me, Master!" Jimmy picked her up and rocked her on his heels as she wept.

"I don't blame you, Coraham," he said nicely, "Things just happen. You're only five years old! There's no way you could have fought off your intruder. You're okay, though, right?" She nodded.

"Good," he smiled. The ship then gave a lurch as it swiftly moved forward. April and her crew ran inside.

"Take your positions!" she told them. They ran into the cockpit and April took the helm herself.

"April! What's wrong?" Jimmy shouted.

"Waterfall!" she grunted, putting all her effort into the ship, "Go back to your girls, Jimmy! They're scared, I'm sure!"

"Can't I help you?" he asked.

"You can help," she strained, "by letting me do this! Now GO!"

Jimmy knelt down with his 20 little elves gathered close around him in their room.

"Just hang on, girls!" he said, holding onto Taram and Leriah as Coraham clutched his right arm and Chidori clutched his left, "We're going to be okay!"

The waterfall they were headed towards was a gigantic hole in the ocean. The rooted icebergs were not carried away with the current; they stayed where they were.

April knew there was no fighting this current; she didn't know what kind of damage the ship had taken, and didn't want to risk anything. All she could do was try to make their fall as painless as possible. Seventy-one lives depended on her: Her crew of 50, Jimmy, and the 20 elves. They were all her responsibility.

'_I don't care what it takes,'_ she thought as she struggled with the helm in sweat, _'I will see Jimmy reunited with his loved ones if it's the last thing I ever do, **and I defy all the forces of the universe to stop me!**'_

"Steady, men!" she yelled, "This is it!" (No music!) The ship now tipped the top of the hole. (Soft, high violin note) For a two-second eternity, they saw the ocean with all its rooted icebergs and its beautifully overcast sky with deceitful sunlight coming off the clouds sparkling on the water. Jimmy and the girls, down in the back chamber, waited silently in tense fear; all the world seemed to hold its breath.

Then, all at once, the _Moyer_ nose-dived into the gaping pitch darkness of the chasm with no sound but the waterfall rushing down with it, and small screams in the back chamber. Gritting her teeth, April kept a steeled grip on the helm.

"COME ON!" she defied, "SHOW THIS GORLOCK WHAT YOU'VE GOT!"

**Author's Review:**

Whoo! Was that intense, or WHAT:D Please lemme know what you thinkg, okay? No references today except for the title, which is from Fallout Boy's "Sugar, We're Going Down." Bye!


	16. Leila

Oh, my gosh! I am so sorry, readers! Point and hate me; I'M A SLACKER! (weep) But please read anyway.

This will introduce a whole new character that I'm sure no one saw coming; she's a tribute to Yuzuki from "Chobits," if any of you are Chobits fans. If not, you'll like her anyway. And this is also a hilarious tribute to Oprah, Teen Titans, and a Playstation 2 game! Hoping not to offend their fans,

-samuraistar

Enjoy

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"_It'll still be two days till we say we're sorry."_-Bare Naked Ladies, _One Week_

**_Disclaimer:_** ...Yeah; you know.

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**Chapter 16: Leila**

Libby sat in a velvet green easy chair in her royal bedroom wearing royal robes and a tiara. A computerized lady-in-waiting with long, teal (greenish-blue) fluffy hair in two big braids down to her feet was standing near her. Libby was leaning on her fingers, comprehending what the l-i-w had just told her. Goddard was with them.

"Let me get this straight," Libby said slowly, "The Council of Twelve...think that _I_...am Oprah."

"Not really, ma'am," the android replied, "They merely see you as the closest they can get to her. The true Oprah is unreachable."

"And _I_," Libby continued, "am supposed to _marry_...whoever _they_ pick...to be my husband."

"Yes," she nodded, "That is what they say. They say they want to find just the right man to rule by your side...the person just for you, as I call it." Libby looked at her; she was beautiful for a computer: She had pearly skin with a faint tan. Her eyes matched her hair, and her dress was long-sleeved with a curved-out collar. The ends of the sleeves, around the collar, and down the middle of the front to the waist was thin gold. The skirt was hoop-like, but no hoop underneath, just lots and lots of lace. The dress itself was ocean blue.

"What'd you say your name was again?" Libby asked.

"Leila, ma'am," she curtsied, "at your service."

"Leila," Libby smiled, "That's a beautiful name...Listen, Leila, I appreciate all that's been done for me, but I already have a 'person just for me;' and frankly, I want to know where he and the rest of my friends are." She rose.

"Now," she said, "You said you knew the lay of this place, top to bottom. You also said you have a tricked out GPS system, _and_ that you were programmed to obey me. So: I want you to run a scan and try to detect if they've got any kind of track signal on them or something."

"Yes, ma'am," Leila said. She bowed her head a little bit and half-closed her eyes. The colored parts of them (she has no pupils) looked like a neatly-made tv fuzz. That meant she was performing a function. Then she popped her head back up with her eyes back to normal.

"There are 4 matches to your search, ma'am," she said, "Shall I pull up a map on your dog's screen?"

"Yes, please," she looked down at Goddard, "Go on, Goddard. Do your stuff."

"Bark!" he answered. Leila reached into where her left "ear" was hidden and pulled out a white cord (like on headphones). She plugged it into Goddard's right ear as he pulled up his screen. She went out of focus again, and four bright dots appeared.

"Leila, where's that?" Libby pointed. She liked saying "Leila."

"That is the main entrance hall," was the answer.

"Will you take me there, please?" she requested as Leila put her cord back in her head (the way you put blinds back up).

"Yes, ma'am," she cursied, "This way, please."

As they walked along the hall, Libby asked Leila what in the world a sweet, demure, polite person like her was doing on an insane place like this. And when she spoke, there was not the least amount of pride or self-satisfaction in her voice; she told only the truth.

"Thank you, ma'am," she replied, "but I am not a person. I am a computer built to resemble a person: a persocom. The Council of Twelve created me with the sole purpose to serve you. They gave me self-teaching software, along with knowledge of outer space, housekeeping, other things like that."

"Wow," said Libby, "You must be super advanced!" Leila smiled at the fledgling adult.

"According to the Council," she said, "I am the most advanced machine of my time."

"Oh, cool!" Libby said, "Heh-heh! If Jimmy ever finds out about you, I might have to beat him up."

"Jimmy?" Leila asked.

"Oh," Libby answered, "Jimmy's my friend..." And she told Leila the whole story. She found herself liking the persocom more and more the longer they were together. Maybe the others would let her take her back with them!

"And in here," Shemp pointed to the broken red jewel in the glass case, "We see the Jewel of Charta from the Teen Titans episode 'Betrothed!' This was the jewel the wicked Blackfire would receive for marrying her sister off to the Sklerch of the swamp moons of Drynthax 4!"

"Dude, I remember that!" Sheen said, "I'd never seen Robin so P.O.'d before! And how about that fight between Starfire and Blackfire? Boo-yah!"

"Moving on," said Darko. Cindy didn't hear him, though; she got a strange look on her face as she stared out of focus. Her heart was racing again, worse than ever. Carl was the only one who noticed her sweating forehead.

"What is it?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Shemp said, thinking Carl had been speaking to him, "Surely you recognize the Staff of Dreams from the PS2 game, Tak 2!"

"No!" Carl said, "I meant Cindy! Something's wrong with her!"

"Cindy?" Jacob said, wide-eyed with concern, "Are you all right? Can you talk?" He reminded Carl and Sheen of Alex whenever someone had a heart attack or something.

Cindy couldn't move; she couldn't talk. She could only feel, and what she felt was a swift movement, rumbles, small frightened presences of innocence around her, and Jimmy's voice saying her name in her head. Her eyes mooned over. Then she blacked out as she felt an alarming jolt.

"_Cindy!_" Jake cried with alarm as he caught her, "_Darko! Take me to your infirmary! And quickly!_"

As Jimmy held onto the elves on April's ship, he heard a man's voice cry out Cindy's name. It wasn't his, but Jimmy sensed it was the voice of a friend, someone who would keep her safe for him, a friend who was very close to someone he knew well; it was someone he could trust.

**Author's Review:**

Dang, I am SO digging this unconscious connection they have! I hope y'all enjoyed it, and please forgive me for being so infrequent...life, you know. I actually _have_ one now, and it's gonna take some breaking in. Oh, yeah: References. Leila was modeled after a character in the Chobits manga, then we've got Teen Titans and Tak 2, a PS2 game. I think that's it. Till next time!


	17. Johnny Lingo

Sorry again, readers! I am SO SLOW! Grr! (Bonks self on head). Ow; okay, let's continue.

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"_Hey, Mom's right! We are a bunch of evil little trolls with no regard for anything except ourselves and destroy everything we come in contact with, and we're lucky we don't end up dead or in prison."_-Dewey, _Malcolm in the Middle

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_

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own the original characters or Johnny Lingo. Now let's go!

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**Chapter 17: Johnny Lingo**

As Cindy lay in a hospital bed in the infirmary with Carl watching her, Jack and Sheen stood in the hall with Shemp and Darko.

"Bow Master Turner!" Darko said, wide-eyed with shock, "What you ask is quite impossible!"

"Is it?" Jack said sternly with a raised eyebrow, "Your servants ambushed and abducted us at _your_ orders. I don't know if anyone told you this, but our Libby is **not** your Oprah. The very idea is ridiculous and laughable, and you ought to be ashamed of yourselves for stooping so low." The two looked down with guilt.

"But Bow Master Turner," Shemp said with a small voice, "we're collector's." Jack thought for a minute, then got an idea.

"Yes," he said, "You are collectors. And collectors, of course, are also traders, are they not?" They hesitated.

"Y-yes," they said carefully.

"Then how about a trade?" Jack offered, "Something we have for Libby."

"Excuse me?" said Libby's voice behind him, "I will _not_ be traded like a comic book!" They all turned on a dime to see Libby in robes and a tiara with Goddard at her side and Leila at her heels.

"Your majesty!" the geeks gasped and bowed.

"Libby!" Sheen ran to her.

"Sheen!" she smiled as they hugged, "Boy, am I glad to see you! Are you guys okay?"

"_We_ are," he said, looking in the infirmary window, "but Cindy had some kind of a dizzy spell that conked her out. She's okay, though." But Libby had already rushed inside the room and greeted Carl.

"Relax, Libs," Sheen touched her shoulders, "She's fine." Then he saw the persocom in the doorway with her collected, demure manner.

"Uh," he said to her, "Who are you?"

"My name is Leila," she cursied, "I am a persocom created by the Council of Twelve to serve the young lady you have addressed as Libby."

"Cool!" Sheen said brightly, "But what's a persocom?"

"A humanoid computer," she answered simply.

"Leila!" Darko sharply addressed her, making them all jump as Leila turned around quickly, "You were supposed to keep the queen in her quarters!" Before he got too close to her, Libby got in front of her and stared him down.

"You lay a hand on her, I'll knock your head in hard enough to make the **_stars rattle_**!" she threatened, "You made this persocom to obey me, and that's just what she did! _I_ told her to bring me to my friends! Are you gonna punish _me_ for that?"

"N-n-n-no, m-m-my lady," he said, feeling small once again. Libby stepped aside and pointed at Leila.

"Now apologize to her," she ordered.

"Milady," Leila said, embarrassed, "it isn't necessary. I'm only a persocom."

"I say it is," she said kindly.

"Forgive me, Leila," Darko said humbly, "You were acting only according to your programming. I'm sorry." Leila nodded wordlessly in her embarrassment (which is _also_ part of her programming). She was programmed to serve and assist. She'd never had anyone demand an apology for her before.

"Once again, Queen Libby's in the house," said a now-awake Cindy.

"Cindy!" Libby rushed to her side, "You okay, girl?"

"I'm fine," Cindy insisted, "Quit freaking out. I just had a black-out, is all."

"Well as soon as you're better, we're leaving," Libby said firmly.

"But milady!" Shemp objected, "We've waited ages for your arrival–

"News flash, Minstrel man!" Libby rounded, "I'm _not_ Oprah! You nerds can collect all the stuff you want, but collecting_ people_ is out-of-bounds and off-limits! What is it with you and your talk show hosts, anyway?"

"We need a ruler to lead us!" Shemp insisted, "Maury was too depressing, Jerry Springer was too popular, Dr. Phil was too bald! Oprah has _power_! Besides, we **tried** Ellen Degeneres...(shudder)...That didn't go so well. Our colleague JT is still in therapy after _that_ fiasco."

"Huh," Libby mumbled, "That explains a few things...Nevertheless, I can't and won't stay and rule you people. My friends and I are leaving, and I'm taking Leila too, if they agree; however, if you need somebody to fill the throne, I think we can work something out..."

Later, after Libby had finagled with the Council, she (back in normal attire, except for the tiara–they let her keep that) and everyone zoomed away in the rocket. Sheen was sharing Jack's seat, since Jack had graciously offered his seat to Leila. Libby was beside herself. She was really fond of the humanoid machine, and was glad that she'd get to keep her now. Even though everything about her was programmed, Leila found herself equally pleased that she would be accompanying her lady in their mission to rescue her friend.

Three hours after they'd gone, the Council of Twelve received two packages. One was a DVD Libby had thrown in as interest: "The Legend of Johnny Lingo." They giggled with geeky glee, then opened the other package with anticipation.

"Hello, peoples!" the small round man exuberantly popped out, "I Bolbi! I your leader! First order of business: Slap, slap, slap! Clap, clap, clap! Slap, slap, slap..."

**Author's Review:**

Ha, ha, ha! Bolbi is now the leader of the Council of Twelve! Hoo, that's funny!

No references this time; hope you enjoyed the whole talk show host thing. I thought it was funny. See ya!


	18. Mt Lotus

Again, life has prevented an update. Good grief; sorry, everybody. I hope you're holding on with me, though; let's move on, shall we?

"_Suddenly, there was no one left standing in the hall."_ _-_Stevie Nicks, _Edge of 17  
_

**Chapter 18: Mount Lotus**

All was black. Everything had stopped. Not a breath was drawn, not a move made. If Jimmy hadn't been keeping his terror under control for the children's sake, he wasn't sure what he would have done; at any rate, he was able to focus. He stood, holding Taram and Coraham's hands.

"Taram, Coraham," he whispered, "you two stay with me. Marthis, Leriah, get behind me. Sherem, Chemnal, float over the door. The rest of you, spread out. I trust you know how to fight?"

"We have nails like fire and teeth like ice," Sherem nodded, "We can be especially deadly when we want to." The others murmured in agreement.

"Good," Jimmy replied, "Wait until we get out of the room. If I say so, come out and fight." They all nodded.

"Ready, girls?" he asked the four closest to him.

"Ready," they whispered.

"Right," he said, "Let's go."

Jimmy pried the door to the cockpit open and blinked in the light. He saw some of the Gorlocks trying to steady themselves after the fall; some were unconscious including, to his dismay, April, lying in a crumpled heap.

"April!" he gasped as he knelt by her and lifted her a little, "Taram! Check her!" The little elf held April's hand in both of hers closely under her chin as if April was a hurt loved one, and closed her eyes. After a while, she opened them again. A few Gorlocks and elves had gathered around her as well.

"Miss April has over-exerted herself in trying to keep control of the ship, Master," she told Jimmy, "The stress was very overwhelming. I can help her, but I have no healing plants on me."

"We can help," said an earthy voice. Everyone looked toward the open hatch; the Gorlocks pointed their spears and the elves backed away. Jimmy pulled Taram and April protectively toward him.

"Who are you?" he asked, "What makes you think you can help us?"

"We are the monks of Mount Lotus," said the cloaked bearded man with yellow eyes, "We are skilled in the art of healing, and we have plants that your medicine child can use for your captain." Jimmy stared at the cloaked figure.

"How can we be sure of your trust?" he asked carefully.

"If you do not," he answered simply, "your captain may die from stress." Jimmy stopped; the guy had a point.

"We'll come with you," he said, then to the Gorlocks, "You sir, please carry the captain. You four, flank him. Girls, gather in a group. You guys, circle the elves and guard them. I want two of you with me. Taram, you stay with me."

She didn't wait to be told twice; the small child placed her arms around Jimmy's neck as he stood up with her. She faced behind them so no one would watch her whisper.

"They frighten me, Master," she whispered to him, "The stars tell terrible stories of a great slithering creature with gold eyes. I would take extreme caution if I were you."

"I will, Taram," he whispered back as they stepped off the ship (well-guarded, btw), "But what do you know about these 'monks'?"

"They are the Monks of Mt. Lotus, as they said," she answered in hushed tones, "I only know that they are peace lovers who are widely known for their expert healing. I knew they lived in cold climates, but this planet's lay is strange to me."

Jimmy saw the sense in that: They were walking in a brightly lit ice cavern with the top layers of frost glittering like pixie dust. It was strangely bright for underground, and on their right they could look through the clear-as-glass ice wall and see the mighty waterfall that had put them there. The whole place was like a circular parking garage that surrounded the waterfall! (Cool, huh? )

"Wow," Jimmy breathed, "This place is amazing! But how is this a mountain?" The monk smiled amusingly.

"On other planets," he answered, "mountains are over the ground. On _this_ planet, it is just the opposite."

"It's incredible," said Jimmy appreciatively. The Gorlocks murmured agreement.

About an hour later, Jimmy went to check on the ship. April was resting with Taram and some guards by her side. The rest of the girls were being protected by the Gorlocks. After checking with the mechanics on ship repairs, he walked down an icy hall when he heard what sounded like a sobbing child.

Tentatively, Jimmy followed the sound until he came to a door with icy bars. He looked inside and gasped. A 7-year-old little girl with long ginger colored hair sat crying inside. She wore a beige robe tied with a brown silken cord with tassels on the end like a friar. When she looked up and saw him, Jimmy saw she had beautiful and clear amber eyes and a white tear drop symbol in the middle of her forehead.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Jimmy," he answered nicely, "I'm not from here."

"Are you here to rescue me?" she jumped to her feet.

"Rescue?" he said, "From whom?" She ran to the door and grabbed the bars.

"My name is Vagan," she said, (pronounced "vague-in") "I'm being held prisoner by Kan-core!"

**Author's Review:**

Okay, the reason the elf kids need Gorlock protection even though they're capable of defending themselves is because no one wants a FIVE-YEAR-OLD to have the need to defend him/herself, get me? Good! Have a cookie and please review!


	19. The End of the Beast

Aargh! I HATE not being able to update! Attention all teens: _Never grow up. It sucks._ Anyway, please enjoy my (probably) long-awaited update. I offer you snickerdoodles as a token of apology.

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**_Disclaimer:_** I own the elves, Kan-core, the monks, and the upcoming Camper Tribe. Jimmy and other originals are not mine.

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"_Professor? Of what? At what college do they give a degree for accosting women like a Saturday night rowdy at a public dance hall?"_-Shirley Jones as Marian Paroo, _The Music Man_ (the original 1962 version)

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**Chapter 19: The End of the Beast**

"Kan-core?" Jimmy repeated blankly, "Who's that?" Vagan looked shocked.

"Surely you must know of Kan-core, the legendary beast of the ages!" she said, "He is a great green serpent with fire for his tongue, ice for his fangs, and gold for his eyes!"

Jimmy gulped as he remembered Taram's words: _"The stars tell terrible stories of a slithering creature with gold eyes."_

"Um," he tried to keep his voice calm, "What exactly does this...thing do?" Her eyes grew wide.

"He is a destroyer of nations," she whispered with terror, "He steals children and holds them hostage. His ransom demands are always the same: Feed him your king, or they die. The ones who give in (and even those who don't') not only lose their kings, but _everyone_! He tricks them by killing them all, including the hostages. Even now, he is doing it with my tribe! He's stolen my twin brother and me, and we are the prince and princess of our tribe!" Jimmy was floored by this!

"But the monks!" he protested, "I thought they were peace lovers!"

"Oh, they are!" she nodded vigorously, "But Kan-core needed a base of operations, so he possessed the monks so they would do his bidding in the meantime."

Jimmy gave this some serious thought: Wherever on the mountain Kan-core was, _no one_ was safe here! He had to get them all out, and that would mean yet another battle. A plan started to formulate.

"Where's your brother?" he asked.

"In a chamber directly below us," she answered.

"Where's your tribe?"

"They're keeping an orbit above our position; planning an attack, I imagine."

"All right," he powered up his laser watch, "Hang on."

The laser cut through the bars and Jimmy quickly grabbed her up and strengthened the laser's frequency. He pointed it at the floor and cut a circle around them. They fell to the next floor, where Vagan jumped down and ran to the chamber her twin brother was in.

"Vince!" she whispered, "It's me! Are you okay?"

The small boy, who was the exact image of his sister with _short_ hair, held hands with her.

"Vagan!" he sighed with relief, "You're all right!"

"C'mon!" Vagan said, "We're getting out! This guy's a friend! He'll help us!" Jimmy freed the little prince, scooped them both up, and ran to where the Gorlocks were with the elf girls. They were all very confused to see the two children.

"Everyone," he said as he put the kids down, "We've been deceived, but not by the Monks. Kan-core plans to kill us all! I'll explain later. Vince, Vagan, I want you to stay with these elves." They obeyed and stood in the middle of the group, clinging to one another in fear–not of the elves, but of the situation. (They knew about elves; they live among the stars, for crying out loud!) The elves closest to them held hands so that the twins were surrounded by a circling chain of protection. The first officer of the _Moyer_ was carrying a conscious but weak April, and Taram flew next to Jimmy as he quickly led the way to the ship.

Suddenly, four monks appeared in their way, and four more appeared in the back. Taram's eyes glowed icy light blue and she fired a star bolt at the front group. Chemnal and Sherem did the same in the back.

"DON'T HURT THEM!" Jimmy shouted above the noise, "JUST STUN THEM!"

The 3 fighting elves and a few Gorlocks knocked the monks out, and they all ran onto the ship.

"FIRE UP AND TAKE OFF!" Jimmy bellowed. Then the girls started screaming!

"MASTER, LOOK!" Coraham pointed out the window, "KAN-CORE!" Jimmy looked up and felt his blood drain: Slithering toward them at an alarming speed with a fire-tongue flicking was the giant green snake, Kan-core (anyone reminded of the basilisk from Harry Potter 2? Kudos!)

"FLOOR IT, OFFICER!" Jimmy screamed, "FLOOR IT!"

They'd scarcely gotten 10 feet up before Kan-core wrapped his tail around the ship.

"SISTERS! ATTACK!" Coraham screeched as she and Marthis led the main bulk of them to swarm over the creature, leaving the hand-holding circle of girls who were protecting the twin royals.

"GIRLS!" Jimmy cried out of fear for them as they shot deadly battle magic at Kan-core. Kan-core cuaght Chemnal in his teeth by the front of her toga dress. She screamed, but a blast from Marthis freed her. He then got a hold of Coraham the same way and got a good look at her.

"Ah, yes," he hissed, "The one I possessed. I shall make a fine meal of you." Coraham stared at him in horror, but then her face turned murderous as her eyes glowed icy blue and her hair floated.

"NO," she said forcefully. The teeth of ice that held her melted and she tore away from him, her body outlined in white. The others froze as they did the same. Kan-core was lifted by their magic and thrown through the wall into the waterfall. The elves simultaneously waved out their arms and blew out what looked like snow. The waterfall instantly froze with Kan-core in the middle.

"And now," said Coraham in an unusually icy cold yet quiet voice (still glowing), "Whom has been possessed by whom?" They then returned to normal and entered the ship.

"Coraham!" Jimmy grabbed her with relief and hugged her and as many elves as he could reach at one time. The ship flew up next to the frozen fall.

"Master," Coraham said, "It will not stay that way for long. We must break the planet's atmosphere, or we won't stand a chance!"

"Don't worry," he smiled, "We're on all cylinders."

No sooner had they reached space than Kan-core's golden eyes glowed with rage. He shattered the ice and flew up! He was angry, but weak from the elves' pure magic: _Moyer, the Destroyer_ was ready for him.

Kan-core was coming at them with his tongue of fire lashing.

"Wait for it," Jimmy said. The snake barreled toward them.

"Almost..."

Kan-core opened his gaping jaws and roared.

"FIRE!" yelled Jimmy. Two rockets were fired down the serpent's gullet, and he exploded: The beast of the ages was no more.

Everyone was dancing and cheering. Jimmy picked up Vagan and circled her over his head as she held her arms out, squealing with joy. April tossed Vince up in the air and caught him again.

"Thank you, sir James!" the little girl said as they hugged with tears in her eyes, "Thank you for saving us!"

"Jimmy!" April joined the hug with Vince, "You were brilliant! Where did you learn such a trick?"

"Saw it in a movie once," he said (just try and guess which one! ;D) Vince and Vagan jumped down and danced in a circle with Coraham, Marthis, and Leriah.

Commotion was going on in the back. Jimmy, April, and the twins looked. Some people dressed like the twins (but in different colors) were wielding Star Wars style lightsabers and looking mad.

"Where are the prince and princess?" said the leader, a man with messy brown hair and a beard like Chuck Norris.

"Uncle Marty!" Vagan chirped as she and Vince ran to him, "Don't hurt them, uncle! They saved us from–_and killed_–Kan-core! They are friends!" Marty looked up with surprise.

"Vince," he addressed the boy, "Is this true?" The boy nodded.

"Well, then," said the man as he and his back-up turned off their lightsabers, "The Camper Tribe owes you a great debt. Please, come with us. We will feast in your honor and help, er, repair the damage we've inflicted on your ship."

"Thank you," April nodded.

**Author's Review:**

I am SO sorry, everybody! PLEASE don't give up on me! I hope you liked this one, despite all the yelling and junk. What did y'all think of Coraham and the girls stepping up like that:D Anyway, please accept these delicious snickerdoodles as a token of my apology and please review! Love y'all!


	20. The Camper Tribe

I forgot to mention: The way they killed Kan-core at the end is a reference to the movie "Jaws," which the Jimmy Neutron show has made fun of before, in the one about Carl's pet turtle, forgot-his-name. I want y'all to pay attention to the little princess Vagan. She's gonna be more important later on. And get ready for the most gihugic Star Wars reference you've ever read! (At least from me.)

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"_Here's to lying, cheating, stealing, and loving: If you're gonna lie, lie to save the life of a friend. If you're gonna cheat, cheat death. Steal the heart of the one you love, and love the friends you have."_ -Michael McBain, _One Life to Live

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**Chapter 20: The Camper Tribe**

From the moment they stepped off the _Moyer_ and onto the massive asteroid, Jimmy couldn't help but get the feeling (again) that he'd somehow stumbled into a Star Wars movie. Everywhere on the asteroid were domed stone houses. They were huge, too. All the people were wearing the same style of clothing as the twins in every color of the rainbow.

"This is where our Tribe lives, sir James!" piped Vagan as she held his hand, "Our asteroid floats safely around space, and we have many friends because our people defend justice throughout the quadrant. We are all trained to be warriors when we turn 13, but we younger ones are taught martial arts without lightsabers."

"Who teaches you?" Jimmy couldn't help asking.

"When we're little," Vince picked up, "Our older siblings teach us to fight. When we're 13, we are apprenticed to any one of the full-fledged Knights, usually one of our relatives."

"Wow," Jimmy said as he looked around. He also made an amazing discovery as he looked at the faces of the happy bustling people: **Every one of them had a fraternal twin!**

"And you all have a twin!" he said with excitement and asked Marty, "Is that right?"

"Yes, young one," he smiled and nodded, "Each member of the Camper Tribe is born with a fraternal twin, like my niece and nephew here. Plus, our names always start with the same letter. Vince and Vagan, for example. My twin sister's name is Mary. At one point, it was popular to give same-syllable names as well, but we don't have to."

"Cool," Jimmy then asked, "What about marriage?"

"Oh," Marty said, "We pick our own spouses, of course. Even when we are full-grown, we live at home until we marry. Sometimes we take our single twins to live with us until _they_ marry. What's happening a lot lately is that twins seem to fall in love with a whole other set of twins and have a double wedding. That way, they can all live together."

"That's so weird," Jimmy said, "At least, it is where I come from. How do you figure that?"

"The best explanation I can give," said Marty as he led them to the leader's house, "is that twins are of one mind and one heart." (At least, Camper twins are)

Jimmy pondered this as he, Marty, the twins, and the other knights with Marty sat in the living room of the big stone house. The others were back with the ship.

"So," Jimmy asked, "You live here, Marty?"

"Yep," he nodded, "My twin sister Mary is the Chief's Wife, and his sister is _my_ wife. And here they are!" They stood up and saw the Chief and his wife come in with the Chief's twin sister, Chloe.

"Hey Corin, Mary, Chloe," Marty greeted them.

"Vince! Vagan!" Mary cried as she clutched them both, "I was sure you were gone!"

"It's okay, Mama!" Vagan said, "Sir James and his elves and Gorlocks _saved _us!"

"And they killed Kan-Core, Papa!" Vince said in his father's arms. (Gasp)

"The beast of the ages is _dead_?" Chief Corin said in awe, "Then we will celebrate at once!" After tossing his son in the air, he put him down and said, "Siblings, come with me! We have a feast to prepare! Vince, Vagan, take Sir James with you and amuse yourselves."

"Yes, Papa!" they jumped up and down. Vagan grabbed Jimmy's hand again.

"Come!" she pulled him outside, "You must meet our siblings!"

They went outside, where the Gorlocks and elves were being made welcome. Two teenagers that looked like an older Vince and Vagan in blue robes rushed to them and hugged them.

"Vince!" cried the girl.

"Vagan!" said the boy as he tossed her up.

"Katie!" Vince said lovingly.

"Kirby!" Vagan said, hugging her big brother.

"His name is _Kirby?_" Jimmy said weirdly to himself.

"And who's this young man?" Katie stood, holding Vince.

"He helped us escape Mt. Lotus!" Vince piped.

"_And_ he destroyed Kan-Core!" Vagan added. Katie and Kirby looked awestruck at Jimmy, who blushed.

An hour later, the whole Camper Tribe was eating and dancing around a bonfire. Jimmy was sitting between April and Vagan, watching Coraham dance with Vince.

"Ms. April," Kirby knelt near her with Katie and dipped his head briefly, "I'm afraid there is some grave damage to your vessel that even our best mechanics cannot undo."

April felt an inward rush of panic. Her father would _kill_ her!

"Is there no one nearby who _could_?" she asked calmly.

"There is a planet," Katie offered, "We just passed it yesterday; the planet Yort. They have top-notch mechanics; and they're **_very_** rich. I'm sure they could fix your ship and resupply your stores." This was exciting news to April. The famous planet Yort, of all places!

"Who could lead us there?" she asked eagerly. She knew a_bout_ Yort, she just didn't know which system it was in.

"I can," Kirby said enthusiastically, "I know my way around this solar system quite well. I'm often a hired guide. I can lead you to Yort."

"But do please stay for the feast," Katie asked, "You must eat before you go."

"Thank you, Prince Kirby and Princess Katie," April nodded to both of them, "We won't forget this."

"Sir James!" Vagan pulled Jimmy's hand, "Come and dance with me!" Jimmy felt a little weird dancing with the tiny girl because he was trying not to tread on her toes. He stopped dead, however, when he heard a familiar song from Earth, Wind, and Fire. He was instantly reminded of Alex's prized 70's music collection.

_Let's groove tonight_

"Hey!" he said to Vagan, "Where did you get that song?"

_Share the spice of life_

Still dancing, Vagan answered, "It's a mixed tracklist we got as a present from Queen Karen of Yort! That's where you're going, isn't it? C'mon and dance!"

_Baby, slice it right_

"I'm not very good at"– Jimmy began, but Leriah (with Sherem across from her) moonwalked by him, touched her star clamp, and held her hand up in front of him. He and her hand glowed for a split second, and Leriah continued her moonwalk grinning. Suddenly, Jimmy was a dancing fool.

_We're gonna groove tonight!_ (Imagine something like the part from "Kronk's New Groove" when Kronk and Birdwell do that whole disco routine!)

He and Vagan danced in perfect 70's unison (use your imagination!)through the whole song. When it was over, Vagan threw herself into Jimmy's arms laughing.

"That was so much fun!" she giggled, "You dance so cool!"

"Not like you," he said grinning, "I've never seen a 7-year-old so light on her toes before!"

"Why, sure," she said as she looked at the symbol on his shirt, "Our mothers, sisters, and/or aunts teach us dancing to hone down hand/eye coordination, focus, and balance! Plus, it's _way_ fun!" Then she asked why he had the neutron shape on his shirt, and he told her it was his namesake.

"Where do you come from, sir James?" she asked as they sat down.

"A planet far away in another galaxy called Earth," he answered as Vince arrived with Coraham and Leriah. Kirby joined them and talked to Jimmy, and Coraham took advantage of the opportunity to pull Vagan aside.

"Princess," she curtsied, "I must show you something. Here." She touched her star clamp and it sparkled blue around the edges. The sparkles gathered into the middle of the clamp. When Coraham pulled her 2 fingers away, the sparkles clung to them. The elf child then touched Vagan's forehead on the teardrop symbol. This act was nothing new to Vagan (except for the experience); she knew most star elves could do this sort of thing: She was sharing a thought with her.

Vagan's inner eye was bombarded with the image of a young adult female with blonde hair, green eyes, and a vicious attitude.

"Why do you share this with me, child of the stars?" the small princess asked respectfully.

"The young lady is someone of significant importance to my master," Coraham answered in hushed tones, "What you have just seen is the description he gave me of her. I ask that you watch for her. Plus, I think you should look for his symbol if ever you come across her, just to make sure. You know we are heading for Yort soon; so if you _do_ meet her, you **must** send her there to us."

"Who is she?" Vagan whispered in fascination.

"My master's beloved," Coraham whispered back, "and betrothed."

**Author's Review:**

Not much to say here...except all the Star Wars junk. And the Earth, Wind, & Fire song is called "Let's Groove." Disney fans might have heard this in "Kronk's New Groove!" Yay! See ya later, readers!


	21. Landing On Yort

(Fights way out of layer of dust and debris choking; takes a huge breath of air) I'M FREE!!!!! My enemies tried to keep me away, but I have returned to you, my beautiful audience! (Applause, roses, lighters, bowing)

Okay, for those of you paying attention, this is the chapter where we meet the galaxy-famous Queen Karen of Yort! I tell ya; this place rocks! Know why? 3 words: Perpetual Toga Party!

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"_Ain't no need to watch where I'm goin'...just need to know where I've been."_- Larry the Cable Guy as Mater, _Cars

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**Chapter 21: Landing On Yort**

By now the Campers' mechanics had repaired the engines on the _Moyer_, but some important parts to the defenses had been burned, so they made ready to head for Yort immediately.

Jimmy and April now stood in front of the ship across from the Chief's family. Kirby had Vagan perched on one of his shoulders, and Katie had Vince. Similarly, Jimmy had Coraham sitting on one of his shoulders. She and Vagan shared a wink.

"Once again, we can't thank you enough for what you've done," Chief Corin said as he shook hands with Jimmy and April in turn, "We'd been about to confront Kan-Core when your ship popped up. If you hadn't drawn him from the Monks, we might have accidentally hurt them."

"Oh, goodness," said Queen Mary, "What a horrible turnout _that_ would've been!"

"And now," Corin smiled, "my children wish to present the two of you with parting gifts. Kids..."

With their little siblings still on them, Katie and Kirby stepped forth and handed Jimmy and April each a silver lightsaber.

"From the bottom of our hearts," Katie smiled, "my twin and I thank you for our brother and sister."

"The lightsaber is used in defense of the innocent, protection of the weak, and distribution of justice throughout the galaxy," Kirby added, "We ask only that yours be used for these very purposes in humility and honor."

"We will," said April, "and we thank you." Kirby and Katie nodded (Katie also curtsied) and Kirby put Vince down. He hugged his family and stood with Jimmy and April. Then they boarded the _Moyer_ and took off.

"Officer," Kirby politely instructed, "you'll need to set a course for the Athenian system."

Athenian? Jimmy wondered. It sounded like Athens.

April unsheathed (turned on) her lightsaber. The blade was gold. Jimmy looked at his, too; it was icy blue.

"Tell me, sir James," Kirby approached him, "Where do you come from?"

"Earth," he answered, "The 3rd planet in the Milky Way galaxy."

"The _Milky_ Way?" Kirby was surprised. "How in the stars did you get way out _here?_" Jimmy sighed and turned off his saber.

"It's a long story..."

And so Jimmy told the prince all about his adventure, his friends, and his fiancee (is that spelled right?).

"Do you think they're looking for you now?" Kirby asked.

"Without a doubt," he answered, "I just don't know where they are."

"Well," Kirby replied, "if ever I see your blonde love, you bet I'll send her along."

"Thanks, Kirby," Jimmy said, "Now, uh...How about you show me a few moves with the lightsaber?"

They had scarcely finished sparring when Coraham skipped into the room with Leriah and tugged on Jimmy's shirt like the tiny child she was.

"Master, Master!" she chirped with flushed cheeks, "Ms. April says we're here!" They all ran out to the cockpit and Jimmy stood by the helm with April while the children chattered actively.

"We're there?" Jimmy asked.

"We are!" April nodded, smiling.

"But how do you know?" Jimmy was confused. "I thought only Kirby knew how to get here!"

"Everyone knows about Yort!" April said, astonished, "It's the most famous planet in the system! They excel all in music, poetry, dance, health care, fashion, and philosophy! Their immortal queen is one of the sharpest, most influential minds of the galaxy. _And_ she's a divine singer with the favor of Ayne upon her. (She caught his eye.) It is even said that she has a voice to draw a thousand tears when she sings sad songs."

While she'd been talking, Jimmy had watched as they approached the golden-colored planet. It had a metallically shiny moon like a disco ball, and the atmosphere they were now breaking through was sparkly gold with a bit of white. When they got through to the clear sky, they saw a vast, gigantic, pillared building resembling the Parthenon. All around were stone pillared houses inhabited by beautiful people wearing togas and/or toga-like dresses.

They came to land in a pillared landing dock wide enough for ships ten times the _Moyer's_ size!

"Caltor," April ordered the First Officer, "You and the engineers stay with the ship. I will take Jimmy, the children, and the Away Team to request an audience of Queen Karen."

"Aye, captain," he nodded and lowered the ramp underneath the ship. Jimmy and April took the lead; he was carrying Coraham with Taram and Marthis flanking him. The rest of the girls trooped behind them with the Gorlock Away Team on the outside and Kirby between April and Jimmy.

"Follow me," Kirby said quietly as they approached a young man in a brown toga. Kirby raised his right hand in formal greeting.

"Ho, brother!" he said happily, "Prince Kirby of the Camper Tribe with visitors in need of help from her Divine Majesty, Queen Karen of Yort!"

"Ho, Prince," the man nodded, "_Every rose has its thorn..."_

Kirby recognized this last sentence as a request for a password and finished, "_...just like every night has its dawn."_ The man nodded, opened the door, and led them in.

He took them down a torch-lit marble hall and conversed with Kirby.

"I was hoping to see you again, Kirby, especially after your Tribe helped my family," the man said gratefully, "Prince Icarus has been asking about you up and down since you left, you know. He misses your brotherhood."

"Excellent," Kirby grinned, "My brother-in-mischief. And speaking of mischief, what of little Diana? Vagan has missed her as well." The man smiled.

"You will soon see for yourself," he said as he led them into a brightly lit, larger pillared hall with a long red carpet embroidered with gold running between the pillars to a pair of huge stone doors. The man in the toga boldly marched up the few stairs that led to the doors and halted the group.

"If you are unused to particularly enthusiastic revelry," he warned them humorously, "then cover your ears." Then he firmly gripped the door handles and with unusual strength threw them open as a golden light flooded over the group.

When he no longer had to blink, Jimmy saw yet another pillared hall, larger than the first, and it was gold! Solid gold! There were two long tables near the walls (in front of the many pillars); one on the left, one on the right. They were low, and the people eating at them were perched on cushions and pillows of all sorts of colors, all with gold tassle for the trim. The middle area was a dance floor; in the middle of this was a 10ft.-diameter 5ft.high circular platform with stairs as the outer part and was flat on top. This was called the Pillar of Performance, and on this pillar was a young toga-dress bedecked lady singing with a silver microphone while a large crowd got down on the dance floor. Beyond that was a white marble throne with red cushions, but it was currently empty.

The pandemonium came to a pause, however, as they had heard the huge doors to the Revelry Hall open.

"My friends!" the man declared, his voice echoing slightly, "I have visitors from out of our system that seek the aid of our noble queen! Their vessel is damaged, and our guests are weary with hunger and fatigue. If someone would fetch her Highness?"

"I will!" a boy volunteered from near the throne and ran out through a door behind him.

Jimmy, April, and the others were graciously herded to the long table on their left, where they were served with exquisite Earth food. The boy who had volunteered rushed back to them. He was a handsome boy Kirby's age with black hair, gray eyes, and a blue toga.

"I am Prince Icarus," he said, "My mother will be with you shortly." Then he saw the Camper prince and brightened.

"Kirby!" he said, punching his arm, "You old sneaker! I didn't see you there!" The two princes shook hands and embraced briefly and roughly.

"What are you doing back here, Kirby?" the Yortian prince asked, "It's been ages!"

"I know!" Kirby smiled, "I've acted as a guide to sir James and Ms. April here. Sir James is trying to get to his home on Earth, and Ms. April is helping him." Icarus' eyes widened.

"James?" he echoed, "Earth?" Then he looked at Jimmy for a moment.

"Forgive me, honorable guest," he asked, "But are you not Jimmy Neutron of Earth, that selfsame Jimmy Neutron who defeated Yolkus and shut down that treacherous game show as a child?" Jimmy's face started to flush.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled nervously, "Yeah, but I wasn't alone."

But before any outbursts could be made, Queen Karen's arrival was loudly announced by a herald in a green toga.

As every knee in the place bowed, Jimmy froze in place and drew in a short breath with shock.

She was a beautiful woman, _that_ was for sure. She had pale orange hair down to her waist and only a breath of a tan on her otherwise pale skin. She wore a golden crown with the ring shaped like laurel leaves, and an opal set in a fancily-patterned frame. Her long-skirted toga dress was goldenrod, but what shocked Jimmy the most was her face! The structure of it was annoyingly familiar, and her eyes were a startling sparkly green.

Then he thought of something: The Athenian system was named after Athens, Greece. The whole _planet_ was fashioned after ancient Greece. Everyone wore togas. They ate Earth food; they were humans! So someone from Earth must have started this kingdom, Jimmy realized. Even more specifically, though, was this beautiful queen who looked so achingly familiar.

'_Karen of Yort,'_ he thought, _'Yort? Wait a minute! Yort spelled backwards is...'_

"Troy," he whispered in his paralysis of shock. Of course! The hair color was only a shade lighter, but everything else was hers: The posture, the face structure, the owl-like gaze, the green eyes, the opal in the crown...

Jimmy couldn't move from the astonishing realization...

_He was looking at Karen of Troy, the ancestor of Alex's family!!!!!_

**Author's Review:**

Sorry so late, y'all! Holy crap, how's THAT for a shocker!!!

In case anyone's confused: April knew ABOUT Yort, she'd just never been before, so she didn't know how to get there. Other than that, I think I got nothing. Later, Mater!


	22. Jedi Jack

MERRY CHRISTMAS, READERS!!!! Or Hannukah, or Kwanzaa, or Winter Solstice, whichever suits your fancy. Personally, I'm a Christmas freak; boo-yah! Okay, let's get down to business...

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"_Float like a Cadillac, sting like a Beemer!"-_ Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen, _Cars_ (I'm on a Cars rampage!)

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**Chapter 22: Jedi Jack**

"I'm glad _that's _over," Sheen sighed, "No way I'd let a bunch of space nerds steal _my_ hot mama!"

"Yeah," Libby agreed gently, "So tell us, Mr. Turner: How did your ship get flung off into deep space?"

Jack closed his eyes as the shadows of nine years' worth of homesickness returned to his face.

"I was taking my nephew on a space trip for a school project," he began, "There was a critical malfunction on the main ship, and the 2 escape pods would only seat 1 person each. I shoved my nephew in one and quickly set the coordinates for home just before a small explosion happened. I got into mine, but in my haste, I must have pressed a wrong number, because my pod went hurtling to the far reaches of space, and not Earth as I intended." Carl whimpered. All but Cindy (who was still driving) had their eyes on Jacob. Goddard whined sympathetically and put his head on his lap.

"How did you survive for so long?" Libby whispered through her fingers.

"Oh," he smiled, "that wasn't too hard. When I was lucky, I was cared for by merciful people like the Council back there. That, and I held onto a prophecy I heard in a dream I had once: It said _'Your family will save you.'_ (He shook his head.) I've still yet to decipher it, but it gave me hope; it still does."

The sweet moment was abruptly interrupted when a shrieking thing like a giant grasshopper jumped onto the rocket's hood. Cindy screamed and did a barrel roll, landing the rocket upside down on another asteroid. The creature was killed from the impact, but the kids plus Jacob were surrounded by a small group of more grasshoppers. The humans quickly got up. Libby ordered Leila to stay with the rocket, and she complied.

"Who knows how to fight?" Jacob asked.

"We do," the kids chorused.

"Bark!" said Goddard.

"Good," Jack nodded, "THEN LET'S GET 'EM!"

While Cindy and Libby went tai chi on one creature each and Sheen pulled some Ultra Lord on another, Carl covered his eyes and cowered under his enemy. Just as it was about to devour him, Jacob leapt into the air and wrapped his legs around its head, pinning it to the ground in a scissor hold (my brother wrestled for our high school last year). A further fold of his legs snapped the creature's neck, and it died. As Jack calmly rose and shook the dust off him, Carl stood in awe.

"Mr. Turner," he asked, "how did you _do_ that?"

"Hey," Jack grinned, "I don't have a Chuck Norris beard for nothing!" And he ran off to fight another one as Goddard took down his second. Cindy and Libby had just made theirs flee in terror, and the two girls turned as they heard Jacob clapping his hands.

"Excellent work, ladies," he courteously praised them, "Very exquisite."

"Tai chi blue belt," Cindy grinned modestly.

"Tae kwon do badge," Libby said, "And mantis kung fu badge."

"Ahh, yes," Jack closed his eyes with relish, "The mantis style; very artistic, very graceful. It suits you well, my dear."

"Thanks!" Libby beamed.

"Libby, ma'am!" Leila urgently called, "We must hasten from the vicinity immediately! The deaths of these space insects will surely attract worse creatures than them!"

"She's right!" Jack said, "Everyone, back in the rocket!"

But they hadn't gotten many feet off the ground before a giant black scorpion with red eyes grabbed the rocket in one claw.

As the kids screamed in terror, Jack stared at the scorpion, his mind racing. He reached into the waist of his lab coat as he ran atop the scorpion and withdrew a lightsaber! With the green blade matching his fiery eyes, Jacob went for the stinger. After dodging it several times, he jumped up and sliced the stinger right off! Then he heaved it up and got back in the rocket.

"Open wide," he said viciously (like Jack Bauer) before thrusting the stinger into the scorpion's gaping jaws. Too late did it realize it had been poisoned; it released the rocket and fell on the asteroid. Cindy and Libby had fainted from the physical stress and the huge jolt; Leila and Sheen held onto Libby, Carl to Goddard, and Jack held onto Cindy. They were in a tight bind now. The ship had taken critical damage, was drifting, and the only one who knew how to drive it was unconscious. There was no time to lose.

Jack raised his lightsaber upward, still lit.

"_Expecto Patronum!"_ he declared clearly as the blade turned hot white.

Miles away on the Campers' asteroid home, every warrior's forehead symbol glowed with acknowledgement. Queen Mary looked at her husband, who nodded and stood.

"Marty," he addressed his brother-in-law, "Take the Rescue Team with you, and quickly!" Marty had felt it, too.

"Right away," he nodded, "Katie, Linda, Larry, Pete, Penny, Tara, Tom, you're with me."

"Yes, sir," they responded and went outside to their flying creatures. The magnificent animals were silvery white deer with horse tails and pegasus wings (like a Patronus!): They were called Star Deer.

Back at the rocket, Jacob was still cradling Cindy like his own child.

"Sir," Leila said quietly, "my sensors have picked up a number of swiftly approaching objects overhead."

"Thank you, Leila," he smiled kindly, "That's the response to my distress call."

"If you please, sir," she asked, "Who are they?"

"Some friends I made in my wanderings," he answered as the rescue team circled above them, "And in the nick of time, as always!"

"Hello, stranger," Marty swooped down to the rocket, "We got your distress signal and"– He stopped as he realized to whom he was speaking. Leila was apprehensive and slightly wide-eyed as she held onto Libby. Sheen was clutching Goddard around the head as Carl held his square body. Marty stared at Jacob.

"Upon my word," he breathed, "Do my eyes deceive me, or do I behold Jack Turner before me?"

"The same," Jack nodded with relief, "Please, Marty. My young friends here are in considerable distress, physically and emotionally. We are all very tired and our ship has taken a serious licking. If there was ever a time to call in that favor, it's now."

"After you taught my people the roundhouse kick, of course!" Marty said enthusiastically, "All our resources are at your disposal. Katie, take the dog. Linda, Penny, Tara, you take the ladies. Larry, Pete, you take the young men there. Tom, capture the ship. Jack, if you'll just get behind me, we'll be off."

The man named Larry offered his hand to Sheen.

"Come on up behind me, young man," he said gently as they grabbed forearms. Sheen stuck one leg out and side-jumped onto Larry's stag, making the rocket bob for a second.

"Here we go," said Pete as he helped Carl clamber onto his, "There's a good man."

"Here, boy," Katie clicked her tongue at Goddard coaxingly, "It's okay. We'll take care of all of you. Come on, little fella!"

Goddard whined, but then decided that if his master's friends trusted them, he could too; so he jumped into Katie's loving arms and barked a greeting.

"Good boy!" she giggled, "Now you just hold on tight, 'kay boy?"

"Bark!"

Linda carefully took hold of the still unconscious Libby and held her in front, as did Penny with Cindy. Leila sat up straight in side-saddle behind Tara, a kind mother in her 30s wearing a purple robe. Leila was probably the only one among the travelers that wasn't dead tired.

Tom, a green robe wearer in _his_ 30s, pointed his stag at the nose of the rocket and stroked the stag's throat while whispering something in its ear. The stag then shot a net of light from its mouth and ensnared the rocket. Tom took the other end out of the stag's mouth, turned him around, and brought up the rear of the group with the rocket in tow.

"All right, knights!" Marty said as he took the reins of his stag, "Let's go!"

And with wings unfurled, the star deer galloped across the dark with seven wearied souls...actually, five souls and two robots (Goddard and Leila), but you get it...

**Author's Review:**

Sorry so late, y'all. I hope you're still with me at the end of your hectic Christmas-shopping days...and parties...and nighttime routines. Please review, and I'll toss you some Christmasy sugar cookies!!!!! Whoo!!!!! And obviously, _Expecto Patronum_ is from Harry Potter. Kudos! Oh, and the stag spitting up a net I got from _The Brothers Grimm_ movie. So cool!


	23. Karen of Troy

Sorry so late again, guys. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty...

Okay, we're going back to the planet Yort, where Jimmy has just discovered that their immortal queen Karen is none other than Alex's ancestor!!! This chapter covers her past and how she helps Jimmy and company. So...let's go!

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"_Sometimes when you are a man, you wear stretchy pants in your room. It's for fun._"_ -_Jack Black, _Nacho Libre

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**Chapter 23: Karen of Troy**

Karen seemed to sense Jimmy's bewilderment as she motioned for all to take their seats and continue the hobknob.

"Child," her voice rang like a bell, "You look dumbfounded. What is it?"

"Indeed," April added, "You look like you've seen a ghost, Jimmy." He came to himself and cleared his throat. He approached the small steps that led to the throne.

"Your Majesty," he said, "Forgive me, but if I'm correct, aren't you Karen of Troy, sister of Helen of Troy?" Karen went wide-eyed.

"My dear child," she said breathlessly, "You are from Earth!" No one but Earthlings knew of Troy! She embraced the poor boy like she would her own son.

"Y-yeah," she stammered as a faint trace of lillies drifted from her hair. _'Lillies!'_ he thought, _'Alex's favorites!'_

"Listen, your Highness," he continued as she let go, "I'm friends with one of your descendants. Her name is Alexandra Turner; we call her Alex back home. Here." He brought up a holograph of her on his laser watch for Karen to see. There she was: Wavy red hair just brushing her shoulders, open white lab coat, and the green eyes. Karen was awed.

"She _is_ my descendant!" she said, "And you are her friend!" She grabbed his hands and made him sit on a cushion near her throne, taking one herself.

"Tell me your name please, dear one," she said sweetly.

"Jimmy Neutron," he responded, knowing what was coming.

"I knew it!" she smiled brightly, "You _are_ that famous child! I recognize your symbol! But now tell me how my modern day children are faring. Well, I trust?"

"Well, yes," he said, a little flustered, "Alex just recently became a doctor. She's sharp as a tack, you know."

"I expect," Karen proudly said, "But now please tell me: What in the world are you doing so far out here?"

"My Gorlock friend there is trying to help me get back to Earth," he pointed his thumb at April as Coraham came up to him, "See, I was kidnapped by the Yolkians..." And he once again repeated his tale while Coraham sat quietly in his lap.

When he was done, Karen sniffed tearfully.

"You are indeed a strong person, young James," she said finally, "You definitely have something worth fighting for." Jimmy had his head low, and Coraham had her arms around his neck. Karen patted his head sympathetically.

"I promise," she said gently, "that when my men have repaired your friend's ship and you have all had a chance to rest, I will chart your course directly to Earth." He looked up at her with amazed gratitude in his tear-stained face.

"You can _do_ that?" he asked before he could stop himself. She smiled.

"I know what it is to be separated from my true love," she said sadly, "Did my descendant tell you why I left Earth?"

"No," he shook his head, "She doesn't know. Some said you were taken up by the Greek gods because they coveted your beauty. Some said your husband had been murdered, and you just withered away with grief." Karen flinched.

"I'm sorry," Jimmy quickly apologized with a red face, "I didn't know about–I mean, I didn't mean to"--

"No, no," Karen said, "It's all right. Actually, most of both those rumors is true: My husband was murdered by Romans. I'd had quite a famous singing voice back then, but after that...(she shook her head) I refused to open my mouth in song ever again. I ran to the forest and took my 2 remaining children with me, where we lived in exile.

"But then one day, Ayne...my dear goddess of song, may she rule forever...came to me and told me that if I wished it, she could take me and my children to a world far away with people who have no ruler and no music, where we could pick up the pieces and start our lives over, that we may once again sing in joy and not waste our divine gift of song; to do so would have been piteous."

"So the goddess of singing brought you here with your children," Jimmy figured out, "But how did you...Oh, of course! She must have fed you ambrosia, the food of immortals! That's how you and your kids stayed alive all this time, right?"

"Yes, dear!" the queen nodded with a smile, "You really are a genius!" Icarus sat by his mother, joined by Kirby and a beautiful 10-year-old girl in a white toga dress with black shiny hair to her waist and deep blue eyes, like her brother. She reminded Jimmy of a miniature Wonder Woman (Justice League, anyone?).

"Ah, children!" Karen chimed with her hands together, "James, I believe you've met my son, Icarus. (Both boys nodded.) And this is my daughter, little Diana. Say hello, Diana." The princess curtsied and looked at Coraham with interest.

"Oh!" she shone, "You have a space elf with you! Mother told me about them, but I've never _seen_ one before!" Coraham was showing only half her face from behind Jimmy's shoulder, unused to such direct attention.

"It's all right, Coraham," Jimmy smiled, "Let Diana see the rest of your pretty face." Coraham blushed and nodded.

"I am honored to meet you, princess Diana," she gracefully curtsied and bowed her head, "My name is Coraham."

"Likewise, Core...Cara...Carey..." Diana tried to say the name then shook her head, "Ahh, that's too confusing. How about 'Cori?' Is that all right with you?" The little elf lit up.

"Okay!"

"C'mon!" Diana took her hand, "Let's dance! This is one of my favorite songs!" Coraham looked at Jimmy, who nodded, then went to the dance floor with Diana. Karen chuckled.

"She's adorable, that one," she commented, "A jewel of a star, if ever I saw one." They both watched the two girls twirling to and singing along with the 1950's version of "Lollipop." (You know, the cutesy song with the pop sound)

_...Lollipop?_

"Hey," Jimmy turned quizzical, "How do you know this song?"

"You've been told, have you not," she answered, "that I have the favor and blessing of Ayne?" He nodded.

"My blessing goes so far," she said, "that she keeps me up to date with Earth times, at least music-wise. My people and I all enjoy karaoke when we please, we own home entertainment systems, and we even have ipods!"

"Mm-hmm," he nodded, "Now, if you don't mind my asking...You said you had two remaining children?"

"Yes," she nodded, "Icarus was 14, too young to leave home yet, as was Diana was at 10. My eldest had long since traveled North and West to what is now your Scotland and taken a wife there. When he heard his siblings and I had gone, he prayed that all children born of my line (and therefore, his) would be born with hair like fire and eyes like emeralds, to honor the mother of his heart."

"The family enchantment," Jimmy nodded, "Alex told me about it; everyone born under your line has red hair. Could I ask you one more question?"

"Of course," she nodded, "Ask on, my dear."

"How can you point us straight to Earth?"

"From my memories," answered the queen, "I recounted the tale many years ago to my Chief Navigator; using the details of my story and his knack for navigation, he recorded the exact coordinates to the planet of my birth. In the morning, when your ship is up and running stored, I will give you the coordinates. But tonight," she firmly stopped him before he could protest with her steady gaze, "I must insist that you and your party bunk with me and my family, here in the pillared halls of Songstone."

"Songstone?" he repeated.

"It is the name I have given my palace," Karen said, "A pet name, if you will."

"I see," he nodded. His anxiety was festering inside him; Icarus noticed this, because he saw him fidget.

"Sir James," he kindly said, "I understand how bad you want to get home, but my mother is right." Then he smiled humorously, "After all, she is a parent."

"Yeah," Jimmy chuckled, "I'm sorry."

"Well," Kirby said as he rose, "It was wonderful to see you again, Icarus, but I need to get back home. It was a pleasure meeting you, sir James," as they shook hands.

"Same here, Kirby," said Jimmy, "Tell the others thank you for me, and thanks for the lightsaber!"

"What?" came Diana's small voice, "You're leaving?" She came up to them holding Coraham's hand.

"Sorry, sweetheart," Kirby picked Diana up, "My family's waiting for me."

"You'll come back though, won't you?" she pressed.

"Someday," he said, "Someday I will. And I'll bring my siblings with me." Then they hugged and he put her down and said goodbye to Icarus.

"Return to us soon, Camper prince," Icarus clapped Kirby's shoulder, "And, uh, bring that twin sister of yours, too." (Wink) Kirby laughed and hugged Queen Karen goodbye. Then he left the room.

Jimmy sighed wearily as he watched him leave; he wished he was heading home, too.

**Author's Review:**

I may have already mentioned, but oh, well: Queen Karen was named after Karen Carpenter, one of the greatest female voices EVER.

Diana was actually inspired by Wonder Woman, but I just now realized she could also be a reference to Princess Diana of England, if any of y'all choose to go with that. But mostly it's Wonder Woman.

Ayne spelled backwards is Enya, also one of the greatest female voices EVER.

Icarus, I guess, was named after the ancient Greek son of Daedalus (sp?). You know that story.

Kirby's name came from a laugh on Chicken Little ("His name is KIRBY?").

And I've been missing a lot of Avatar because my satellite is...(sniff)DISCONNECTED!!! So could anyone please tell me who Toph is??? 'Cause I'm clueless. I just bought the First Season Finale, for cryin' out loud!! (Poor Sokka!) So I need everyone's help to stay up to date. Thanks, y'all!!!


	24. One Step Closer

Holy mackerel!!!! I know I've apologized like a zillion times already, but I'm still so sorry! No matter how many times I say I'm sorry, I mean it every time. But please review this so I know y'all are still there!! This is the second most crucial chapter in the whole story!!! (I don't know why I put this song in here, btw; it's just a fun song!)

"_Please don't fall in love before I've had a chance to love you."_-Me, I made that up, too.

**Chapter 24: One Step Closer**

Losing conciousness at the end of every chapter was becoming increasingly annoying, Cindy realized as she lay in her subconcious state. She swore to herself that she'd never let herself get knocked out again, if she could only be reunited with Jimmy.

_Miss Independent  
__Miss Self-Sufficient  
__Miss "Keep Your Distance"_

The temperature in her head was suddenly cooled by a soothing rhythmic motion on her forehead, and her bangs were being gently pushed out of her face; a kind, warm hand was feeling her cheeks, and a soft female voice was humming along with the song that was evidently playing.

_Miss Unafraid  
__Miss "Out of My Way"  
__Miss Never-Let-A-Man-Interfere_

Her eyes slid open on impulse, and she saw a teenage girl's face above hers. She looked 14 and had ginger hair to the bottom of her shoulder blades, a white teardrop shape on her forehead, and stunningly beautiful amber eyes. The girl smiled at her, showing perfect Anne Hathaway teeth.

"Hi, there," she said.

"Hey," Cindy said sleepily, "Who are you?"

"I'm Katie Deblonga," said the girl with another smile, "I'm a princess around here." She helped Cindy sit up on her cot.

"Oh," blinked Cindy, "Where is 'here,' exactly?"

"Eh," she shrugged, "sometimes one place, sometimes another." She grinned teasingly.

_Miss On Her Own  
__Miss Almost Grown  
__Miss Never Let A Man Help Her Off Her Throne_

"Oh, come on, Katie!" a smaller voice chimed, "Don't be so cryptic!"

Cindy was a little shocked when the 7-year-old girl danced her way over to them with a much more chipper Goddard playing the song for her: She was the spitting image of the teen girl!

"Sorry, Vagan," Katie laughed and turned back to Cindy, "Seriously, we're on the asteroid that my people live on, the Camper Tribe of the 43rd Quadrant!" The little girl she called Vagan knelt next to her. Katie put an affectionate arm around her as Goddard licked Cindy's face.

"And this little cutie is my sister, Vagan!" said Katie.

"Hiya!" the little one piped, "What's your name?"

"Cindy," she answered on another impulse.

"Put 'er there, Cindy!" she smiled and lightly hit Cindy on the top of her hand, holding her own under it. The poor blonde drew a blank.

"Vagan," Katie quietly said, "she doesn't know the Camper handshake."

"Ohh..." Vagan blushed, "Let's show her, then!" She then hit Katie's hand as she had Cindy's. Katie slapped hers back; then they wiggled their fingers, brushing each other's fingertips and finished it off by bumping fists twice (like in Kronk's New Groove!)

"See?" said Vagan, "Now **you** try!" She slapped Cindy's hand again. This time, Cindy returned the gesture and completed the handshake.

"Awesome!" Vagan said happily, "Oh, and I love your dog, too! He's so cute, and so awesome!" Then she sang along with the chorus.

_What is this feeling taking over?  
__Thinking no one could open the door_

"Say, Katie," Cindy asked the older princess, "do you know where my friends are?"

"Yeah," said Katie, pointing her thumb to the cot on the other side of the room, "Your girl friend and her persocom are over there." Sure enough, Libby had just come to and was being tended to by Leila.

"Hey, girl!" Libby called, "You feelin' all right?"

"Somewhat," she answered, "Where are the guys?"

"Sheen and Carl are outside playing with some of the kids," Libby said, "Mr. Turner's talking to some of the adults. Looks like one of them's the leader."

"You must mean my father and uncle," Katie looked outside, "That's my father, Corin Deblonga, the one in the green robe. And that's my Uncle Marty in the blue with my Aunt Chloe, his wife, Father's sister; that's my mom, Mary; she's Uncle Marty's twin!"

"Mary and Marty, Corin and Chloe?" Cindy asked, "And they're all twins?"

"Of course, silly!" Katie smiled good naturedly, "Everyone's born with a fraternal twin here, and they always start with the same letter! My twin brother's name is Kirby, and Vagan's is Vince!"

"_Kirby?"_

"Yep," Katie laughed, "You're not the first to have that kind of reaction...Oh! Your compress is warm! I'll go re-wet it for you. Don't go anywhere!" she beamed and left. Princess Vagan came and sat with her again while Goddard checked on Libby.

"You don't look very happy," she remarked.

"I don't _feel_ very happy," Cindy sighed as she looked at her left hand again. Vagan had been watching her intently, remembering the words the elf child had left with her and the thought she showed her: A young woman with blonde hair and green eyes. All she needed to look for was sir James' symbol, and her suspicions would be confirmed.

"May I see what's on your hand, ma'am?" Vagan asked. Cindy raised an eyebrow, but said, "Sure." The small royal took it in both of hers and looked closely at it. It was very faint like a tan line, but there it was. Vagan drew in a long, shocked breath and looked wide-eyed up at a confused Cindy.

"What?"

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"PAPA! PAPA!" Vagan screamed as she dragged Cindy as fast as she could to her father, "I FOUND HER! I FOUND HER!" She skidded to a halt before him and the rest of his small gorup, including Jacob. Cindy, who'd been doubled over from Vagan's smallness, nearly tripped over herself.

"What do you mean, Vagan?" Chief Corin knelt to her level, "What do you mean you 'found her'?" Vagan took a deep breath and rattled, "Before sir James and his party left, his elf child told me to look for a young blonde woman with green eyes bearing his symbol! Well...here she is! And there's his symbol, right on her hand, just like the one on his shirt!"

Now that they were back in the outside of space, everyone could see the green glow of Jimmy's mark on her hand. Suddenly, Cindy understood that _Jimmy_ had been here! But what party, and what elf child? But she'd worry about that later; what mattered right now was that they were that much closer to him!

"Can anyone take us to him?" she urgently asked.

"_I _can!" Katies apparent twin brother ran over, "I just left him and his on the planet Yort! We haven't drifted far from its system, so I could take you immediately!"

"But the rocket isn't repaired yet," Jack said.

"We'll drag it with us, then!" Cindy said hastily, "Sheen, Carl, go get Libby, Leila, and Goddard! Mr. Turner, don't you think we can wrangle the rocket somehow?"

"Of course," he nodded, "Marty, could I trouble you for your services one last time?"

"Always, Jacob," he answered, "We'll get out half the herd of our Star Deer. Kirby, go to it." Kirby nodded and ran off. Sheen and Leila joined them shortly, holding a wavering Libby up by her elbows as Carl followed with Goddard.

"Cindy, what's going on?" Libby asked immediately, "They told me someone knew where Jimmy is!"

"Well, they're right," Cindy answered, "Kirby's getting us transportation right now–ohh!" she suddenly sighed. She and the others saw a small fleet of beautiful star deer prancing or flying towards them with Kirby at the reins of a young stag in the front. They halted in a semicircle around the group.

"Everybody take one!" Kirby said, "There's no time to lose!" Cindy perched herself onto a doe and admired her slender neck. She was so lovely. Pretty soon, everyone was atop a star deer. Goddard sat with Cindy while Jack pranced up on his stag with the rocket in the same kind of net that Marty's stag had coughed up (literally).

"Everybody ready?" Kirby turned and asked. They nodded.

"Right!" he shouted, "Follow me!" He turned his stag around and it galloped toward the edge of the asteroid, spread its wings, and launched gracefully into the void. The other deer followed suit, and as Cindy's doe soared through the star-strewn darkness, she felt her heart soar with it.

**Author's Review:**

Yay, they're almost there! Okay; the next chapter goes kinda back and forth between what's going on with Jimmy and the racing trip through Yort that Kirby leads to find him. It's really cool!!! So...PLEASE REVIEW!!!


	25. Miracles Happen

And now, the chapter you've all been waiting for! (Fanfare! Confetti! Snickerdoodle cookies!) At this time, the author asks that you fasten your seat belts, synchronize your pace makers, and HOLD ONTO YOUR UNDERWEAR!!! (Another line from Kids Next Door!) (Crackes knuckles) All right! LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE...!

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"_Miracles happen once in a while when you believe."_ -Don't know who sang it, _Miracles Happen_ from _Princess Diaries I.

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**Chapter 25: Miracles Happen**

Jimmy and April sat on cushions by Karen in her throne and watched some of the people singing karaoke.

"_Today ends where your book begins,"_ finished the pink-wearing blonde girl, _"The rest is still unwritten."_

The revellers all applauded her as she took her bows and stepped down from the Pillar of Performance. Karen stood from her throne and raised her hand for attention.

"My friends," she said, "you may cease your speculation and put your curiosity to rest, for my esteemable guest, Jimmy Neutron of Earth, has agreed to tell you all his story." She sat back down as Jimmy nervously cleared his throat and stood on the floor in front of the bottom steps to Karen's throne.

"Friends," he started, "I firstly offer my profound thanks and gratitude to your wonderful queen Karen for all she has agreed to do for me." They respectfully applauded their queen, who nodded and blinked (slowly) appreciatively.

(Camera switch)

The golden planet with the disco ball moon appeared before them.

"_There it is!"_ Kirby pointed, _"Keep going!"_

"Secondly," Jimmy continued, "I thank her benevolent people for their warm welcome and excellent hospitality."

Kirby led them in single file as they swooped down the streets, making a beeline for the palace of Karen. Songstone loomed ahead of them.

"_We're almost there!"_ yelled Kirby. Cindy's heart was pounding faster than her doe was flying (isn't yours?).

"Come on, come on!" she murmured, urging her on.

"Thirdly," Jimmy added, "I would like to comment that everyone who has sung so far had very lovely singing voices." The crowd laughed lightly.

The star deer landed in the landing dock. Kirby swiftly dismounted and ran to the man in the brown toga once again as a stable boy came for the deer. Cindy gave her doe's neck an affectionate stroke of thanks and joined the prince.

"There's no time for the password, Jonathan!" Kirby panted, "You must take us to the Revelry Hall, and quickly! I bring you sir James' loved ones!"

"Sweet heavens," Jonathan whispered, "Quick, this way!" And he led them on a swift foot down the back corridor, as he'd done with Jimmy and April. Kirby was right behind him with Cindy hot on his heels as Goddard loped alongside her, barking excitedly. Jack was excited too, but for an added reason: Something about this world was stirring up something ancient, deep in his blood.

Jonathan opened a door and turned a sharp right with the Earthlings in his wake. As he made a break for the gigantic doors, he shouted over his shoulder, "You might want to shield your eyes!"

All heads in the hall turned to the doors as Jonathan wrenched them open. Kirby immediately stepped past him and onto the threshold and declared in a loud, clear voice full of triumph, "Sir James, let your heart weep no more! Here are the souls for whom you have pined and suffered!"

Long before the first word had registered, Jimmy found himself in an emotional paralysis, and was once again rendered immobile: There she was, blinking the light of the gold out of her eyes, seeing him clearly, and then screaming his name across the hall. How a woman could move so fast in 2 seconds, he would never figure out; but somewhere in that time frame, he found himself in a fierce hug with blonde hair brushing his face and jasmine assailing his senses. He was wide-eyed and bewildered as he held her back at arm's length and got a good look. He gave his head a quick shake, as if waking from a dream.

"Cindy?" Suddenly, his brain clicked.

"CINDY!" he cried out joyously as he fiercely hugged her back, "YOU FOUND ME!" The crowd got up and cheered! (As if they knew what was happening.)

"Of _course_ I found you, you idiot!" she wept into his shoulder, "You know me better than that!"

"Cindy..." He remembered how much his heart had ached for her, and now it was all but a memory as they kissed. That was probably the sweetest kiss they'd had in the whole term of their relationship.

Just after they broke it, they were bombarded by a group hug as Carl and Sheen and Libby yelled, "Jimmy!" Goddard barked happily and jumped up and down.

"Libby! Guys!" he said as he hugged each of them in turn, "You're here, too! And Goddard! Good boy!"

"Uh, duh!" Libby grinned, "You didn't think we were gonna stay home, did you?" Jimmy laughed and asked Cindy, "What about Alex? Where's she?"

"She couldn't come," Cindy answered, "but she was a tremendous help, and she sends her apologies and a hug."

"But we did bring someone _like_ her!" Libby said. She ran over to Jacob and brought him to the others.

"Jimmy Neutron," she beamed, "meet Jacob "Jack" Turner, _Alex's father!_"

"Father?" Jimmy said, "but I thought you were"--

"Dead, I know," Libby cut, "Mr. Turner, this is Jimmy Neutron, the one we've been looking for!"

The kind red-headed man with the Chuck Norris style beard shook hands with Jimmy.

"Jimmy," he said, "It's a privilege to meet you at last. Your fiancee and friends here are of bold spirit."

"Thank you, sir," Jimmy said. The man's green eyes definitely made him Alex's dad, and his manner commanded such respect so inadvertently. He was, in the literal sense, charming!

"I've got another friend too, Jimmy!" Libby said as she drew the computer woman near, "This is my persocom, Leila!"

"Persocom?" he repeated, "You mean, like a person/computer? Like an android?" His scientific intillect kicked into overdrive.

"That is correct, sir," Leila nodded, "and I am honored to meet you at last."

"And she belongs to _me_," Libby emphasized, "so don't get any ideas."

"And who's that down there, Jimmy?" Cindy asked, seeing the seven elves at his feet. (The others are with April)

"These are my elves," he said with a smile, "This is Chidori, Chemnal, Sherem, Leriah, Marthis, and Taram. And this, Cindy," he picked up Coraham, "is our flower girl." Cindy and Coraham stared at each other; Cindy in confusion, Coraham in awe.

"My master's betrothed _is_ beautiful, just as he said!" the child whispered. Cindy blushed.

"He told you about me?" she couldn't help grinning. Coraham grinned and nodded vigorously.

"Come here, cutie," Cindy took her in her arms, "Exactly what did he say about me?"

"Jimmy, where did you find these kids?" Libby giggled while playing with Leriah, "They're the most adorable little things I've ever seen, especially this one! She can dance!"

"I know _that_," Jimmy chuckled. Sheen was playing with Chemnal, and it seemed Carl had taken a shine to little Chidori. Cindy and Coraham seemed to be hitting it off pretty well too, as he'd hoped. Jack, however, was focusing on Karen, who had joined them. She was looking at Jack, too.

"A mother always recognizes her children," she whispered with misty eyes as she opened her hands to him, "Draw near, child of my line."

"_Foremother!"_ he humbly knelt before her and held her hands to his forehead in a cracked voice, "Queen Karen, founder of my family! In my heart, I always knew you hadn't truly gone!" Karen stroked his hair and let him cry. Suddenly, he remembered!

"The prophecy," he whispered and looked up at her, "My family _did_ save me! It was _you_ who told me that!" She smiled.

"Yes, my child," she helped him up, "And when the time comes, I will send you home with James and his friends. It's time you were back where you belong."

"Oh thank you, foremother!" he cried hoarsely.

"April!" Cindy saw the Gorlock approach, "Hi! What are you doing here?"

"Helping Jimmy home," April said, "My ship is undergoing repairs at the moment, but I can take all of you back to Earth!" A new feeling of gratitude for the alien girl rose up in Cindy as she put Coraham down and hugged April, which was something **_no_** one expected to see!

"Thank you so much, April," Cindy cried, "for keeping Jimmy safe."

"He is my friend, Cindy," April said at arm's length, "As are you."

"May I personally invite you to our wedding?" Cindy asked on a third impulse, even _less_ expected.

"Of course," April nodded, "I'd be honored to attend."

Karen then asked Jimmy to tell everyone his story. After he did, Cindy and Libby told how Alex had tracked down Goobot's ship, how they'd found Jacob and been kidnapped by the Council of Twelve, (Jimmy was flabbergasted to hear about Bolbi) and how they'd fought off the space insects and were picked up by the Camper Tribe Rescue Party (Jack told that part). After all was told, Karen stood up from her throne again.

"My friends and guests," she said, "I have heard all your story, and commend your courage & determination; and on such a joyous occasion as this, I can think of but one way to express my joy and yours..." And with the grace of a swan, she glided to the floor and ascended the Pillar of Performance. The Yortians murmured with excitement: It was a wonderful thing for their queen to sing. Men and women began grabbing dance partners and hurrying to the floor as gold-glittered light shimmered with the sunset throught the windows and with magic. Karen held a silver microphone with a gold mouthpiece as the mid-tempo introduction joyously played up.

"Hey..." Cindy frowned with thought, "I _know_ this song." Karen's green eyes glittered with a smile.

"_You showed me faith is not blind,"_ she sang, _"I don't need wings to help me fly..."_

"I **love** this song!" Libby lit up, "C'mon, Sheen!"

"_Lord of the dance,"_ he agreed, _"away!"_ Coraham ran off with Leriah and Diana dragged Kirby off.

Jimmy looked at Cindy, held his hand open, and jerked his head towards the floor. Cindy smiled, accepted, and the two joined their friends on the dance floor.

_Miracles happen once in a while  
__when you believe_

"I thought you didn't dance," Cindy said wryly.

"Just with you," he said and kissed her.

_You showed me dreams come to light,  
__that takin' a chance on us was right  
__All things will come with a little time  
__when you believe_

Cindy felt a tug on her pant leg and saw Coraham.

"May I dance with you, Ms. Cindy?" she asked sweetly.

"Aw, how can I say no?" The blonde picked her up and they all danced together. As Karen sang her heart away, the toga wearers danced until they fell unconcious with exhaustion where they stood as dusk settled in. Some of them got to their seat cushions and fell asleep. Karen finished her people off with "Stay Awake" from Mary Poppins, then quietly stepped down from the pillar and walked to her throne, picking up a vacant cushion on the way. She sat down and gazed over the silent, prostrate corwd and nodded, smiling serenely. Then she fluffed the cushion, laid it on her left arm rest, and settled her head in the elbow of her folded left arm. She was asleep within minutes. Kirby and Icarus were sleeping back-to-back in a sitting position while Diana slept with a cluster of elf girls on the throne steps. Everyone felt safe in the peaceful quiet of the star-watched night.

Only 53 people remained awake. April and her 50 men were standing guard in a silent vigil along the walls. Libby, Carl, and Sheen were in various spots of the hall. Libby was sleeping with her head on Sheen's stomach while Leriah had her own head in Libby's lap. Chemnal's head was upside down, touching Sheen's on the other side (get it?). Carl was nearby on his back with Chidori curled up on his rising and falling stomach. Jimmy and Cindy (the only two other people awake) were sitting against a pillar with some cushions. Coraham's head was on Jimmy's left thigh, and her legs were over Cindy's right. They were both looking down at her, and Jimmy was stroking her rich red hair.

"She's a sweet thing, she is," Cindy smiled sweetly.

"I know."

"And this Sneris lady just _gave_ her to you like a possession?" she asked, a little shocked.

"That's how space elves are, Cindy," he calmly responded, "They literally live to serve."

"You're not keeping _all_ of them, are you?" she asked, "I mean, there's gotta be 20 of them!"

"They agreed to help me get home, and then they'd be free to do as they please," he explained, "But if Libby, Carl, and Sheen want to adopt the ones they're with, I wouldn't object." Cindy looked down at the child again and thought for a minute.

"You want us to adopt Coraham, don't you?" she asked. Their eyes met, but Jimmy couldn't read her expression. Finally, he caved and sighed.

"Yes," he said emotionally, "I do. I want her to be our daughter. I want to raise her on Earth and be her father. She's so sweet and so smart, Cindy. She's got so much potential, and she could teach us so much as well."

"What made you decide on her?" Cindy couldn't help asking. He smiled.

"They're all very devoted, and they've been wonderful...but Coraham was there for me more than any of them. She was the only one I told about you and home; when we took down Kan-core, she led the others on the attack. She started that power burst that froze him. She's been the closest elf to me since I met her, even though I met Taram first." A long moment of silence followed this. Cindy watched him stroke the child's soft hair; Coraham's sparkly blue body was gleaming with moonlight. Cindy was sure she'd never seen such a beautiful child in her life. She looked at her future husband intently.

"You really love this kid, don't you?" she asked gently.

"Yeah," he smiled, "I do." She nodded thoughtfully.

"One condition," she said, "We wait till after the honeymoon. I'd like us to be just married for a while."

"Really?" he turned to her, "You're sure?"

"Hey," she shrugged, "I can see how important she is to you, and I've gotten attached to her, too." Jimmy lifted Coraham up and put her on a pile of cushions. Then he returned to Cindy and took her in his arms.

"I love you, Cindy," he told her just before kissing her with unbridled passion, and Cindy returned it with all the aching her heart had suffered in the search.

After all the tears and danger and frustration, it was worth it to be here with him again, just like this, and Cindy realized that if she could, she'd do it all again just have this beautiful moment with the man she loved.

Jimmy held her back a bit and touched her face. She was positively _drowning_ in the moonlight, but the stars still managed to find their way into her eyes; the love they held for him couldn't be truer.

"I love you, Jimmy," she whispered with tears in her eyes, "and I'm never losing you again." Then she let her head fall on his neck and fell asleep. Jimmy scooted over to the pile of cushions where Coraham was and laid his head on one. For the first time in a while, he was truly happy: His friends were safe, the woman he loved was in his arms where she belonged, and the divine child from space would be his daughter!

Happy again at last, Jimmy fell asleep with Cindy in his arms and Coraham overhis head, blending with everyone else into the sleu(?)of happiness, friendship, love, and safety. And really, that was all he'd wanted.

* * *

_Another Chapter Epilogue!_

_The apartment was dark. The sliding window doors adjacent to the front door gave a spectacular view of the buildings across the street. A combination of moonlight, starlight, and streetlights reflected the smoky gray eyes of a she-cat; her clean silver fur, specked with darker gray in random places, gleamed with the special care she took for it. She also had a white chest and belly and dark gray forepaws. She was sitting on a stool, swishing her tail against the pink drawn curtains. Her gaze traveled up and down the street, but kept straying to the empty parking space directly in front of the iron-railed balcony. She would have been on the railing of the balcony, but the glass doors were locked. She was waiting for someone: her owner._

_Finally, her dark gray ears pricked up as the red motorcycle took its spot in the parking space, followed shortly by a car. The car unlocked with a click, and a tired voice sighed and said, "Frankie, I'm home!"_

"_Alex!" the cat mewed in human language and jumped into her arms. (I'll explain later.)_

"_You're late," she purred in a pouty voice, "I was starting to get worried."_

"_My fault entirely, Francesca," Mrs. Vortex appeared behind Alex, "I thought she could do with some Japanese." She produced two styrofoam carry-out boxes and carried them to the kitchen table. Alex sat across from her, and Frankie jumped from her shoulder onto the table between them and sniffed as Alex opened her box._

"_So what are you and Charlie doing tonight?" Alex asked her cat as they ate._

"_He'll be here soon," the cat said, "He heard Sam complaining about rats sniffing around the Candy Bar dumpster, so we're gonna meet some of the others and see if we can't chase them off. Hey, can I have some of that broccoli?"_

"_Help yourself," said Alex. After Frankie devoured the vegetables, a meow was heard as a yellow tom poked his head in the kitty flap._

"_There's Charlie," spoke Frankie, "See you, Alex. Bye, Sasha!" She hopped down._

"_Remember, Frankie..." Alex warned._

"_...Don't talk to the humans, I know," said Frankie._

"_And, Frankie?" she called._

"_Yeah?" the cat stopped at the door._

"_Don't stay too late, okay?" Alex said, "I don't want to sleep alone tonight." Frankie blinked sympathetically. She always sleeps in Alex's bed next to her._

"_Okay, Alex," she mewed and slipped out._

"_Have you heard from your friends at all?" Mrs. Vortex asked._

"_No," Alex shook her head, "They're too far out of the galaxy. There's no way I can get them." The mother looked troubled._

"_It's been nearly a week," she fretted, "How far could they have possibly gone?"_

"_Knowing Cindy," Alex said thoughtfully, "they'll get as far as they have to...I just hope they don't end up..." Her voice shook as she tried to blink back tears "...like my father." Sasha took the food away, then held Alex's fists. She knew the whole story._

"_I went to see her again today," Alex wavered, "And there she was, same as always, rocking on her bed, hugging that stupid, **stupid** doll of hers like it was **me!** I want to strangle that thing and pop its head off, and crawl into her lap and tell her to rock **me**, her **real** baby! She won't stop talking about him! She still believes he's just gonna stroll back into our lives, and everything will be peachy again! But he's not! He's gone, he won't come back...And she's..." She crumpled into her elbows and sobbed intensely. Sasha walked over to her and held her with a serious face._

"_Alex," she said softly, "there's something you should know about today." The young doctor whipped up her head with tears still spilling over._

"_What?" she demanded._

"_While you were with your mother," she explained, "I spoke with the doctors. They showed me her records."_

"_And?" Alex nodded, "What did they find? What did they say?"_

_Sasha watched the young woman that she'd raised with Cindy for 7 years, whose personality and habits and trademarks she now knew frontwards and backwards. There wasn't a thing about Alex that she didn't know, so she **cer**tainly knew the weight her next statement would carry, **and** the impact it would cause. But it had to be said; Alex had to know the truth._

"_Your mother," she said, looking into her eyes, "has been sane for the last nine years." _

**Author's Review:**

Dun, dun DUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!!! The evil cliffie strikes again!!!

Only thing I can think of which is really cute is that the chapter number is the date of Christmas! Yay! And holy moly, how about Alex?!? Her mother's case takes a shocking turn, and she has a TALKING CAT!! Review please, y'all!!!


	26. Now You Know: Unwritten

Okay, everybody calm down; we're all very glad at this big reunion bash, so let's see the morning after the party, shall we? By the way, the unparenthesized part of the title is from Paul Harvey's radio show, 'cause his ending line is "Now you know...the rest of the story!"

* * *

"_But what are miles across the ocean to the heart that's going home?"_-Enya, _Long, Long Journey _from the _Amarantine_ CD

* * *

**Chapter 26: Now You Know (Unwritten)**

Cindy was once again the first to wake up.

'_No matter where you go,'_ she thought, shielding her eyes, _'there's always a sun to wake you up.'_ She sat up and yawned. She looked over and saw Libby shaking Sheen as Chemnal and Leriah yawned and stretched.

"Hey," Libby was whispering, "Hey." Sheen shot up straight.

"MUTATED PUPPIES!" he yelled.

"NINJA HAMSTERS!" That was Carl.

"Master Sheen, you're really funny!" Chemnal giggled.

"Miss Libby," Leriah tugged on her, "is he always like this?"

"Honey, this is only the beginning," Libby rolled her eyes.

"Hey, where did everybody go?" Coraham sat up. They looked around and saw that all of Karen's subjects were gone. Only Karen, her children, April & crew, and the other 13 elves remained. The queen herself had just stirred.

"Good morning, children!" she chimed, "Did you sleep well?"

Now that the bulk of the excitement had passed, Cindy got a chance to have a proper look at Alex's apparent ancestor. She was _beautiful!_ Cindy was stunned to see a woman with such unearthly grace and self-assurance, to say nothing of her mother attitude added to impossible beauty. Her startling green eyes confirmed it: No way in this or any world could she be _any_one but Alex's ancestor.

Karen helped Cindy up and hugged her good morning. As Jimmy had been, Cindy was drowned in the scent of lillies from Karen's hair.

'_That's **gotta** be Tresseme she's using!'_ she thought breathlessly as Karen let her go.

"I trust you especially slept well, dear one?" the queen smiled.

"Yes, ma'am," the child nodded (compared to Karen, she _is_ a child!).

"Good, good," Karen said, "Well, if you'll awaken sir James, I'll have breakfast prepared."

"Thank you, your Majesty," Cindy dipped her head to her, "And I don't just mean for that...Thank you for everything."

"No trouble, fair one," Karen smiled fondly and walked off.

_Fair one?_ Cindy was mystified.

"Cindy?" Libby appeared by her, "What's with you?"

"She called me 'fair one,'" Cindy answered humbly, "And she's the most beautiful woman I've ever _seen!_"

"Perhaps the queen sees something inside you that you don't," Coraham told her, "After all, she is like unto her Greek gods."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Coraham," said Jimmy's voice as he sat up.

"Master, you're awake!" the elf chirped and hugged him.

"You want to tell her the good news, Cindy?" he asked his fiancee. She knelt by them and took Coraham's hand in hers.

"Coraham?" she asked gently, "Did Jimmy tell you that he wanted to adopt you?"

"Yes, ma'am," she nodded, "but only if you agree to it."

"Well," the young woman smiled, "we talked about it last night, and I agree. Coraham," she touched her small face, "I'd love little more than to be your mommy." Coraham's eyes shone.

She'd never had parents before: Space elves were born from "pieces" of old stars that had exploded and died. The elder stars took care of them until they were 4; then they were taken to places where their services were needed. In the case of Coraham and Taram and the others, they were needed on Calypso's Comet with Sneris. If they had stayed when Sneris died, and if Sneris had not already appointed a successor as she had to Jimmy, the elder stars would have taken them to find new work, most likely separating them.

Now Coraham and her friends had a chance for a life out of the workplace, with a family on a planet, without a lifetime of travel and slavery.

"Really?" she grinned with tears in her eyes. Cindy nodded. The girl could hardly contain her joy, and she didn't know which person to hug first. She finally decided on Cindy; she was closer. She threw her arms around her neck and used the word "mommy" for the first time.

"_Mommy!"_ she cried joyfully, melting Cindy's heart instantly. Then she turned to Jimmy and jumped on him, crying, "Daddy!" Cindy turned to see Libby tossing Leriah up and catching her again; they were both laughing happily.

"What's up with _you_ two?" she raised an eyebrow as the two were hugging with flushed cheeks.

"Well," said Libby, "since you and Jimmy are adopting Coraham, I figured I'd follow the trend: Leriah's gonna be my baby!"

"_Really?"_ Jimmy, Cindy, and Coraham all said with surprise. Coraham jumped up and grabbed Leriah in a hand-holding dance.

"Oh, Leriah!" she bubbled, "You will have a mommy _also! Mozel tov!_"

"Hey, don't forget about us!" Sheen came up with Chemnal sitting on his shoulders in all smiles.

"**_You_**, Sheen?" Now Jimmy, Cindy, & Libby were all thoroughly shocked as Jimmy said, "Sheen, are you sure you can handle _parenthood?_"

"Hey," his face turned serious, "if I can go through eight years' worth of death-defying adventures in the name of love and friendship, I can be a Dad." Libby looked at him with a newfound admiration.

"Same here!" Carl piped up with Chidori on one of his shoulders.

"What about Sherem?" Chidori asked, "And Marthis, and Taram?"

"Actually, I've thought of that," Jimmy stood up, "I was thinking of letting Taram live with Alex, Marthis with my parents, and Sherem with yours, Cindy, if all's well."

"I think that's a good idea," she smiled, "As long as we get to keep this one!" She picked up Coraham, who giggled. Taram & Marthis hugged each of Jimmy's legs.

"And what of the others?" Chidori asked with concern.

"We have all agreed," said one of them, "and Queen Karen has agreed to take us into her home and employ our services!"

"And you three," Jimmy addressed Taram, Sherem, and Marthis, "are going to Earth with us. I know the perfect parents for you."

"Well, then!" Karen reappeared, "I believe this calls for a celebratory breakfast! It's all ready!" They all situated themselves and ate their fill.

"Foremother," Jacob asked Karen, "How long have you and your children been here now?"

"Well"– she started, but a knock was heard at the door. Kirby and Icarus ran to it and found a box big enough to hold a 24" tv. They dragged it over to the long table.

"It's addressed to you, Miss Libby!" Kirby grunted, "Here's the note." The others crowded around her as she opened it.

"What's it say, mommy?" Leriah asked in her lap. Libby couldn't help but smile from her future title, and read the note.

"_Our dear Queen Libby,"_ it read,

"_We are returning the product of our bargain with all due respect. We have decided to re-try for Ellen Degeneres. You may consider us your faithful servants abroad, and we will place ourselves at your disposal and defense if ever you need us. Your handmaid Leila is additionally equipped with an emergency distress signal. She will explain it to you at your convenience. Until we meet again, we remain forever_

_Cordially Yours,_

_The Council of Twelve_

_Shemp, Darko, Lacky, JT, Thomas, David, Fargo, Harry, Henry, Gordo, Justin, Dudley_

"_P.S.-_

_We're keeping the 'Johnny Lingo' DVD."_

"Nice calligraphy," Cindy commented appreciatively. Libby smiled again and refolded the letter.

"That was nice of them," she said, turning her attention to the box. She opened it, and out popped

"Whee! Hello again, peoples! Space travel goooood!"

The ones who knew him groaned in dismay. Jack stared at the strange young (and I say this VERY lightly) "man" in confusion.

"Libby," he asked, "who is this?" She put her head in her hand and sighed.

"Mr. Turner," she said wearilly, "meet Bolbi Stroganovsky."

"Er," said Jack, "nice to meet you, Bolbi." The elf children were wide-eyed and looked disturbed as they hid behind their respective future parents. Bolbi joined in the eating (he'd just been shipped across a galaxy!)and April soon came in.

"Jimmy!" she said with excitement, "My ship is all ready! We can leave as soon as possible!" The others cheered as Jimmy briefly hugged April.

"Thank you so much, April," he said with happy sincerity, "You have no idea what this means to me...to us." He turned his head to Cindy.

"On the contrary," April said, "I have every idea." Yet another occurance happened at the door.

"WAIT!" a small familiar voice called, "DON'T GO YET!" Jimmy gave an "oof!" as the little princess tackled his gut in an enthusiastic hug.

"Vagan?" he looked down at her, "What are you doing here?"

"Not me," she grinned, "Us." She motioned toward her family as Vince came to hug him, too. Princess Katie came and affectionately greeted her twin, acknowledging Icarus. Vagan shared a loud reunion with little Diana, and the rulers of the Camper Tribe, along with their twins, approached. Chief Corin and Queen Mary were atop two star deer.

"We wanted to bring you and your promised one some parting/wedding gifts before you leave," Katie said, "if it's all right."

"Sure," Jimmy stepped towards her, "Cindy?" She stood beside him, and the royal family formally assembled themselves.

"Vagan, you first," Queen Mary nodded, wearing pink. Vagan (in a paler pink) nodded and stepped toward Jimmy & Cindy.

"Her Divine Majesty, Queen Karen of Yort," she said, "is a great friend to my people, and sends us music of Earth. Now, I offer you a 2-disc collection album. The first includes hits from the 70's by artists such as Elton John, the Bee Gees, ABBA, the Jackson 5, the Osmonds, Chicago, and my favorite, Earth, Wind & Fire! The second is a greatest love song mix, including 'Endless Love' by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross. My wish is that you 'keep on rockin' till the night is gone!'" Jimmy took the CD and thanked Vagan, who curtsied and stepped back. Vince came forward with a pair of silver ipods, complete with earphones.

"Her Divine Majesty also shares electronics of Earth, with a touch of Yortian modification," he said, "These iPods will not only play whatever songs you want, but they have 18,000 different songs in about a hundred track lists as well. Plus, if you don't know what you want to hear, they will pick out just the song for you all by themselves! It is my wish that your lives will always have music."

"With these things and your sister's CDs, I don't doubt we will," Jimmy said, "Thank you, Vince." The boy bowed and rejoined his twin as Katie came up.

"My gift is actually for you, Miss Cindy," she said, "It is the weapon of my people, the lightsaber. It is a sacred instrument of justice, and it is my wish that you wield it in protection of those you love and compassion for the innocent. Oh, and the blade is green to match your eyes!" She smiled. Cindy held it in one hand: The handle was straight silver, with a slide-switch as the button.

"Thank you, princess Katie," she said, "I will honor this gift and use it with the same." Katie curtsied and was replaced by Kirby, who carried a crystal jar with no opening in the top. Floating inside was a glowing glittering rose with a diamond-clear stem and a clear white head that was dripping sparkles of starlight.

"This," he said softly, "is a star rose that I was given by the elder stars on one of my guiding trips. It is my wish that you keep it safe, for it is one of the most precious treasures of the universe."

"We'll treat it as such," Jimmy said, dazzled as he held the jar, "Thank you very much, Kirby." He let Libby carefully hold it as Chief Corin and his wife Mary slipped off their star deer and led them to Jimmy & Cindy. Chief Corin placed the stag's reins in Jimmy's hand, and Mary handed the doe's to Cindy. (It was the same one she rode in the last chapter.)

"Chief," Jimmy said with wide eyes, "We couldn't..."

"We insist," Mary smiled sweetly, "Star deer are highly intelligent, and clever at hiding themselves. They are seen only in the night or in space, or the common darkness; their food is moondust, and their water is the light given off by the stars. All you need to do is simply let them out at sunset, and they will safely fly undetected to space for their meals."

"We have a moon we could keep them on," said Cindy as she stroked her doe's nose, "They might be safer there."

"Yeah," Jimmy agreed, "Thank you, Chief." Chief Corin and Mary nodded and stepped back.

"If ever you need our help," Chief Corin said, "raise your saber upward and cry _'Expecto Patronum.'_ Our Rescue Party will be at your side in minutes. Cry _'Semper Fidelis'_ and our entire army will join you in the heat of battle."

"Goodbye, Jimmy, Cindy," Katie hugged them, "Spirits of the Star Tribe be with you." She turned and left with the others, but Vagan stayed behind and looked sadly at Jimmy.

"Will I ever see you again?" she asked.

"You bet, kiddo," he smiled, "Someday we'll meet again, if your Tribe ever floats over to the Milky Way." Her little lip trembled and she hugged him around the waist one more time.

"I'll send you a transmission every day," she promised with her eyes pinched shut, "and I'll pray for you every night until we meet again." He knelt down and cradled her head.

"Come, Vagan," her mother called. Vagan finally wriggled away, kissed Jimmy on the cheek, and ran to Katie, who picked her up in a fun swoop and walked out with her. Jimmy & Cindy watched them go. The scent of lillies drifted on the air as a gentle hand touched Jimmy's shoulder.

"Children," she smiled gently, "Your vessel is ready. You can all go home now."

Jimmy put an arm across Cindy's shoulders.

"Ready to take the journey one more time?" he asked her. She held his gaze unwaveringly and answered sincerely, "I followed you this far. I'm not going home without you." He smiled at her, kissed her forehead, and followed Karen and April to the docking bay with their future child at his side and and his friends following behind in triumph. Jack and Leila were guiding the two star deer in the back by the reins in silence. Jack was in humble ectasy: His family had saved him in more than one way. His daughter had charted the course that led them to (tho accidentally) find him by the wayside, his foremother was pointing him directly to Earth, and he was with his daughter's friends. After nine years, he was going home, and the _first_ thing he intended to do was get his wife out of the psychoward and rebuild their life together in Retroville, where Alex was.

Leila was quietly happy, and looked forward to serving Libby and her future daughter. Libby herself was happy that their mission had been a success, with some delightful perks: A child and a handmaid! (Not to mention the tiara).

Sheen & Carl were happy that they'd found their third amigop alive and well, _and_ that the adventure was (for the most part) over, and that they'd found their own little additions to the amigop clan.

As for Jimmy and Cindy, they were thinking the same things: _We're together again; we're going home; we're getting married!_

On April's ship, Karen bade them goodbye one last time. She hugged Jack first, then Jimmy and Cindy.

"Know this, Jacob Turner, child of my line," she told Jack, "I am immortal and omnipotent, and I will linger with your daughter and guide her through life, and I will watch her as I would my own Diana."

"Thank you, foremother," the man bowed his head, "I will never forget you as long as I live." The queen nodded and hugged Jimmy and Cindy.

"Your story will be told throughout the ages," she beamed, "And I will remember you forever."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Jimmy said, "for all you've done for us."

"I will always be with you, dear ones," she spoke softly with shining eyes, "And never forget: _Today ends where your book begins."_ The two smiled; they _all_ k new _that_ song.

"_The rest is still unwritten,"_ they said in unison. Karen smiled, nodded, and took little Diana by the hand; she'd already said her tearful goodbyes to Coraham, and couldn't bring herself to cry over anyone else. Icarus shook hands with everyone and escorted his mother and sister off the ship. While Jimmy and his friends went in the back chamber to relax and celebrate, April happily strode to her raised captain's chair. Despite all they'd gone through, she'd kept her word; and it was worth it to see him so happy again.

First Officer Caltor was standing in front of her at the helm.

"Caltor," she said proudly, "set the course for Earth!"

**Author's Review:**

DON'T GO AWAY YET, FOLKS! Don't forget, we still have the subplot of Alex's mom dilemma! Stay tuned for the plot twisting epilogue!

References, yay!

Okay; Karen's parting line, obviously, is from _Unwritten_ by Natasha Beddingfield.

Libby's line, "Honey, this is only the beginning" is from _Everybody Loves Raymond_, on the 2-parter eppy of Robert and Amy's wedding when Marie interrupts and Amy leans to Deborah and asks, "Did she do this to you?" And Deborah rolls her eyes and says the above line! It's hilarious!

The whole "mutated puppies" thing was suggested to me in long previous reviews from earlier chapters, and "ninja hamsters" was a card I just pulled out for lack of anything else.

All the artists Vagan mentioned when presenting her gift are several of my personal favorites; I love 70's music! And her "keep rockin' till the night is gone" line is from an ABBA hit that I don't expect any of you to know called "On and On and On." It's a fun song!

The handle of Cindy's lightsaber is supposed to be a tribute to Padawan Barriss Offee from the Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon, volume 1.

Okay, the Council of Twelve's names...Shemp and Darko you know from chapter 12, Lacky I just made up, JT is a reference to TJ's geek name from "Recess," Thomas was one of the 12 Apostles, David is my cousin's name, Fargo...I think that's a movie title, but I've never seen it. Harry is from Harry Potter, Henry I made up, Gordo is from Lizzie McGuire, Justin...made it up, and Dudley is also from Harry Potter. (Whew!)

_Tresseme_ is a real-life shampoo. I don't buy it, but everybody seems to make such a big deal out of it, it sounded funny.

The Johnny Lingo thing is also from a previous chapter, but it is a real video. My church made it in the 60's, and it was redone recently as _The Legend of Johnny Lingo._ They're both pretty great, I think! It's become a trend in my church, too. Anyone who wants to hear the story (the 60's one is pretty short) can ask in your reviews. Thank you!

_'Expecto Patronum'_ is from _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_.

_'Semper Fidelis'_ is the tag line of the...Army, I think.

(...) I think that's it for this one. Any questions will be answered! ;D STAY TUNED FOR THE EPILOGUE, PLEASE!!!


	27. Epilogue: Fight Together

Okay, guys, we've finally made it: The end of the Odyssey of samuraistar! 26 chapters, a zillion songs and movie references, and it all ends with our subplot of Alex's previous discovery in Chapter 2...4, I think it was. Please enjoy this dramatic conclusion to the Odyssey, and stick around for the 3rd story of the trilogy, the one where JIMMY AND CINDY GET MARRIED! Dedicated to all my fellow JN authors, and a special shout-out to **Genius FlyBoy**, my most intelligent (and entertaining) reviewer. You rock, GFB! (Call me! LOL! Just kidding...)

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"_The best way to not starve is dig in the dirt and grow a garden." -_ Jan Rodney, my mom (Oh, and HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!)

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**Epilogue: Fight Together**

The next day after lunch, Alex zoomed on her motorcycle to the psychiatric ward in a furious passion wearing a shoulder bag with her talking cat Frankie inside as her lab coat flew out behind her. Alex parked the bike in her usual spot; under her lab coat was a choker on her neck, a darkish blue-green long-sleeved shirt, a black skirt below her kneecaps, and black suede medium-heel boots that were only knee-high. (This is her every-day outfit, like the others have thiers.)

As Alex stormed through the lot, Frankie popped her gray head out of the bag.

"Keep your head down, Frankie," Alex said without looking at her, "Pets aren't allowed here."

"Then why are you taking me with you?" the cat asked anxiously.

"Because I can't face this alone," Alex answered, "And Sasha would only tell me 'Don't do it.' I need someone with no authority over me." Technically, she was 19 years old, and didn't need anyone's permission for what she was about to do. But if she'd brought Cindy's mother, her guardian, she never would've left her alone about it.

"Hi, Alex!" chirped the receptionist, "Right on time, as always!"

"Thanks, Sally," Alex nodded briefly and stalked down the halls.

In her room, Leah Turner was standing by her window crying. She'd seen Alex arrive, and now her clever ruse was wearing down.

She clutched her doll in one hand and looked at it with her teeth gritted. Her black hair was partly in her face, which was etched with hatred.

"No more," she said angrily, _"No more!"_ She tore off the doll's head, followed by the arms and legs. Then she sank to her knees, sobbing intensely.

Alex stopped; she heard her mother crying behind the door!

"_I can't take this anymore!"_ she heard her say, _"I'm sick of this! I won't do this any longer!"_

Alex burst into the room to find her mom kneeling on the floor in tears with the doll's body parts strewn about. Leah whipped her head up and stared at her shocked daughter. Alex looked into her eyes, and saw the familiar recognition that had vanished when Alex was 12 years old. There was no mistaking it: Leah Turner was back.

"Mother," Alex whispered, "Is it you this time?" Resignation filled her marble eyes as she closed them and stood up, steeling herself for a moment before she looked at her daughter.

"Mrs. Vortex told you," she guessed.

"She spoke to the doctors," Alex nodded, "They said you haven't shown a sign of insanity since you were committed. (Her green eyes flashed.) And yet you stayed there every day for two years until we moved here, without putting up so much as a fight! I lived without both my real parents for **_9 years!_** You were faking all this time, and you didn't even _try_ to get out!"

Alex and Leah watched each other; Alex was waiting for her reaction. Finally, the mother spoke. They both knew Alex was going to hear her out. A nurse appeared in the door, but Alex rounded on her and spat, "Get out of here!" And she did.

"I know you're angry, Alex," Leah said calmly, "You have every right to be, and I'm glad you are, in a way. It shows me you care...But you have to know that I did fight. I took tests, I got scanned numerous times, but they committed me anyway. None of this was my doing. The only reason I played along is becuase they were _not_ going to let me go...because of your father."

A silence fell over them both as they stared at each other. Alex's eyes were wavering and brimming with tears. She lowered her head slightly, pinching them shut; then she threw herself into her mother's arms and cried.

"I don't care about that anymore, Mom!" she sobbed in a voice muffled by Leah's shoulder, "I just want you to come home with me!" Leah had tears of her own pouring silently down her cheeks.

"I couldn't protect you at 12 years old," Alex continued as she lifted her head, "but I have a job and a home of my own now! I can get you out of here, and you can live with me and start over! I can take care of you! We can be a family again!" Leah stared at her daughter in one of those "you can _do_ that?" expressions.

"But, honey..." she touched Alex's face and shook her head unbelievably.

"I'll fight for you, Mom." The young doctor had her face set. "I'll fill out the papers for your release, do whatever I have to do. If I have to go to court, I'll do it. I'll save you, Mom." She looked into her mother's eyes.

"And if Dad really is coming back," she whispered, "then we'll wait for him together."

THE  
END

**Author's Review:**

FINITO! FINISHED! FIN! DONE! THE END! THE STORY IS OVER! WHOO!!!

This was an incredible journey, for myself as well as the characters. I had a lot of fun hand writing this and typing it and all that fun stuff. (Sniff) But this is a trilogy, aight? There's still one more story to go!!! It's not quite so long as the Odyssey was, but it's still great! You'll see show-downs, adoptions, a cameo reappearance, the wedding of the century, and a BRAND NEW PAIRING! Thanks for all the reviews for this one, readers. You guys give me confidence and understanding! We artists have to stick together! ;) I LOVE YOU ALL!

Until next time,

-samuraistar (Angela)


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